Raghu Kalluri

TL;DR: It is suggested that adult renal fibroblasts might retain parts of their original embryonic imprint and plasticity, which can be re-engaged by systemic administration of BMP-7 to mediate repair of tubular injury in a fibrotic kidney.

TL;DR: Treatment with rhBMP-7 leads to improved renal function, histology, and survival in mice deficient in the alpha3-chain of type IV collagen and MRL/MpJlpr/lpr lupus mice, two genetic models for chronic renal injury and fibrosis.

TL;DR: It is shown that glypicans serve as low-affinity receptors for endostatin in these cells, as in endothelial cells, and antisense experiments suggest the critical importance of Glypicans in mediating endostasin activities.

TL;DR: It is shown that type IV collagen contributes to the maintenance of the epithelial phenotype of proximal tubular epithelial cells, whereas type I collagen promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT), and that changes in basement membrane architecture potentially lead to up-regulation of transforming growth factor-beta1, which contributes to EMT during renal fibrosis.

TL;DR: A crucial role for local S100A4+ fibroblasts in providing the permissive “soil” for metastatic colonization, a challenging step in the metastatic cascade is demonstrated.