CXCL12 and chronic kidney disease: In the present study, we identified a novel role for SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling in this reciprocal relationship, observing that local SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling preserves microvascular integrity and attenuates fibrogenesis, whereas the pro-fibrotic growth factor TGF-β, overelaborated in the CKD setting, downregulates SDF-1 expression.