Type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) and the vascular tree: From embryogenesis to aging and disease

•Vascular development depends on the timely differentiation of endothelial and smooth muscle cells.•Vascular aging and vascular disease are influenced by endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell compartments.•A survey of the literature on the role of PDE5 in vascular development, aging and disease is reported.•The role of PDE5 on vascular development, aging and disease needs to be further investigated by its genetic ablation. Vascular tree development depends on the timely differentiation of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells. These latter are key players in the formation of the vascular scaffold that offers resistance to the blood flow. This review aims at providing an overview on the role of PDE5, the cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase that historically attracted much attention for its involvement in male impotence, in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell function. The overall goal is to underscore the importance of PDE5 expression and activity in this cell type in the context of the organs where its function has been extensively studied.