The proliferative and the antifibrotic side of PAX2 in tubular repair.

Regenerative repair following injury to proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) is essential to restore the kidney to normal function in acute kidney injury. Failure to accomplish this leads to chronic kidney disease. Expression of the paired-box transcription factor Pax2 in PTECs is required for their regenerative proliferation and repair. However, a loss-of-function study now shows that the absence of Pax2 not only impacts PTEC proliferation but also causes myofibroblast recruitment leading to excessive tubulointerstitial fibrosis.