  Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) have become a standard QCD tool for
analyzing and parametrizing the non perturbative parton structure of hadron
targets. GPDs might be viewed as non-diagonal overlaps of light-cone wave
functions and offer the opportunity to study the partonic content of the
nucleon from a new perspective, allowing one to study the interplay between
longitudinal and transverse partonic degrees of freedom. In particular, we will
review some of the new information encoded in the GPDs through the definition
of impact-parameter dependent parton distributions and form factors of the
energy-momentum tensor, by exploiting different dynamical models for the
nucleon state.
