To begin to determine the role of macrophages in the hypertensive phenotype resulting from vitamin D deficiency, we generated myeloid cells lacking VDR (KODMAC) by crossing Vdrfl/fl mice with lysosome-M-promoter-driven Cre mice (Lyz2Cre) in the Ldlr−/− background (a model of diet-induced metabolic syndrome), and compared them to Vdrfl/flLdlr−/− littermates (control). The gene discussed is VDR; the disease is vitamin D deficiency.