Cutaneous active vasodilation as a heat loss thermoeffector

Human skin is the interface between the human body and the environment. As such, human temperature regulation relies largely on cutaneous vasomotor and sudomotor adjustments to appropriately thermoregulate. In particular, changes in skin blood flow can increase or decrease the convective heat transfer from internal tissues to the periphery where it can increase or prevent heat loss to the environment. Thermoregulatory control of the cutaneous vasculature is largely due to cutaneous sympathetic nerves. Sympathetic adrenergic nerves mediate vasoconstriction of the skin, similar to other vascular beds, whereas active vasodilator nerves in nonglabrous skin respond to changes in internal and peripheral temperatures and can profoundly increase skin blood flow. Activation of these vasodilator nerves is known as cutaneous active vasodilation and has been the subject of much recent research. This research has uncovered a highly complex system that involves the activation of multiple receptors and vasodilator pathways in a synergistic and sometimes redundant manner. This complexity and redundancy has left our understanding of cutaneous active vasodilation incomplete; however, the employment of new techniques and use of new pharmacologic agents have introduced many new insights into cutaneous active vasodilation.