RUNX2 and chronic kidney disease: The likely mechanisms are the following: promotion of phosphate excretion by the kidneys due to the interaction with FGF23, slowing down of CKD progression, reduced expression of the Na/Pi cotransporter and the osteogenic transcription factor CBFA1/RUNX2 in vascular smooth muscle cells with consequent decreased phosphate intake and osteochondrogenic differentiation [23,24].