Activated fibroblasts are deemed the main executors of organ fibrosis. However, regulation
of the pathologic functions of these cells in vivo is poorly understood. PDGF receptor β
(PDGFRβ) is highly expressed in activated pericytes, a main source of fibroblasts. Studies
using a PDGFRβ promoter–driven Cre system to delete αv integrins in activated fibroblasts
identified these integrins as core regulators of fibroblast activity across solid organs,
including the kidneys. Here, we used the same PDGFRβ-Cre line to isolate and study renal …