This book is the result of the 3rd Wiggers Bernard Conference. The Wiggers Bernard Conferences, named after two great physiologists of the past, are biannual gatherings of the leaders in the field of shock. The meetings focus on specific areas of interest, where a lot of new informations is available, but needs to be focused. There are informal presentations during which the seminarian can be intenupted in order to clarify a pat1icular point; formal discussions follow each presentation; these are followed by inf Olmal gatherings in which these discussion continue in a very relaxed environment. The 1992 meeting took place in Obermayerhofen, a small but charming castle in the soft green hills of Eastern Styria in the South-Eastern part of Austria. The castle was built in 1130, restored and turned into a hotel in 1977. The renaissance court yard and the generous and exclusive decors make it one of the most beautiful castles in Austria. The frank beauty and hospitality of this area acted as a catalyst to crystalize the thoughts of this interdisciplinary group of scientists as they discussed new findings in the cytokine area.