 The arachidonic acid, AA, pathway plays a key role in cardiovascular biology, carcinogenesis, and many inflammatory diseases. Esterified AA on the inner surface of the cell membrane is hydrolyzed to its free form by phospholipus A2, PLA2, which is in turn metabolized by cyclooxygenases, coxes, and lipoxins. Many of the latter mediators are considered to be novel preventive and therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases. This article was authored by Bei Wang, Li Jin Wu, Jing Chen, and others.