The long-standing debate between the two schools of sepsis theory -microcirculatory dys-autoregulation versus cellular dysfunction -shows signs of resolution. New techniques for studying tissue oxygen tension, presented by Ince (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), provide more evidence that microcirculatory dys-autoregulation results in significant shunting. This occurs predominantly in the submucosal and serosal portions of organs, and is an early event. These studies show that the macroscopic restoration of global oxygen delivery fails to improve oxygen consumption as the mucosa becomes hyperoxic, whereas the submucosa and serosa remain hypoxic. Somewhat counterintuitively, this can be reversed in the face of resistant hypotension with vasodilators, at least in animal models.