KL and chronic kidney disease: This study was designed to investigate the controversy on the potential role of sKlotho as an early biomarker in Chronic Kidney Disease–Mineral Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD), to assess whether sKlotho is a reliable marker of kidney α-Klotho, to deepen the effects of sKlotho on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) osteogenic differentiation and to evaluate the role of autophagy in this process.