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Glioma-associated oncogene homolog-1 (Gli1)-positive resident mesenchymal stem cell-like cells are the predominant source of kidney myofibroblasts in fibrosis, but investigating Gli1-positive myofibroblast progenitor activation is hampered by the difficulty of isolating and propagating primary cultures of these cells. Using a genetic strategy with positive and negative selection, we isolated Kidney-Gli1 (KGli1) cells that maintain expression of appropriate mesenchymal stem cell-like cell markers, respond to hedgehog pathway activation, and display robust myofibroblast differentiation upon treatment with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Coculture of KGli1 cells with endothelium stabilizes capillary formation. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis during differentiation identified autocrine ligand-receptor pair upregulation and a strong focal adhesion pathway signal. This led us to test the serum response factor inhibitor CCG-203971 that potently inhibited TGF-β-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transition. scRNA-seq also identified the unexpected upregulation of nerve growth factor (NGF), which we confirmed in two mouse kidney fibrosis models. The Ngf receptor Ntrk1 is expressed in tubular epithelium in vivo, suggesting a novel interstitial-to-tubule paracrine signaling axis. Thus, KGli1 cells accurately model myofibroblast activation in vitro, and the development of this cell line provides a new tool to study resident mesenchymal stem cell-like progenitors in health and disease.

An interview is presented with glass artist Dana McLean on her education in glass craft and career as of June 2014. Topics include her reception of the 2014 Pilchuck scholarship by the Glass Art Association of Canada (GAAC), analysis of her artistic style and creative process such as the influence of Scandinavian design, and her experiences studying glass internationally.

An interview is presented with New York City-based artist Joseph Cavalieri, focusing on his career and work in glass art as of June 2014. Topics include his depiction of characters from the cartoon "The Simpsons" as representative of the U.S., his use of traditional stained glass techniques, and the influence of his earlier graphic design career on his glass art.

An interview with glass artist Jane Bruce's teaching assistant (TA) vonlunteer Lisa Cerny is presented. When asked about her duties as TA, Cerny mentions that her experience enable her to be involved in glass blowing project. She believes that teamwork is important when working as a TA. She also share her style and how she likes to work in glass craft.

•Malaria parasites manipulate the mammalian immune response to facilitate survival.•Parasites dampen cytotoxic/antiparasitic responses by inducing Th2-type responses.•In addition to promoting survival, Th2 responses alter transmission to mosquitoes.•Concomitant bacteremia with malaria infection may be a product of this manipulation.

In this article, the author tells a story describing the New Zealand glass artist George Agius' experience of attending the South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA) in Adelaide on August 18, 2012. During the event, Agius collaborated with the glassblower Tom Moore in holding a children’s drawing contest, with the two best drawings serving as models for the creation of glass pieces. The winning drawings featured depictions of an ant and a fish.

Malaria strongly predisposes to bacteremia, which is associated with sequestration of parasitized red blood cells and increased gastrointestinal permeability. The mechanisms underlying this disruption are poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the expression of factors associated with mast cell activation and malaria-associated bacteremia in a rodent model. C57BL/6J mice were infected with Plasmodium yoeliiyoelli17XNL, and blood and tissues were collected over time to assay for circulating levels of bacterial 16S DNA, IgE, mast cell protease 1 (Mcpt-1) and Mcpt-4, Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and patterns of ileal mastocytosis and intestinal permeability.

Kidney organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells have great utility for investigating organogenesis and disease mechanisms and, potentially, as a replacement tissue source, but how closely organoids derived from current protocols replicate adult human kidney is undefined. We compared two directed differentiation protocols by single-cell transcriptomics of 83,130 cells from 65 organoids with single-cell transcriptomes of fetal and adult kidney cells. Both protocols generate a diverse range of kidney cells with differing ratios, but organoid-derived cell types are immature, and 10%–20% of cells are non-renal. Reconstructing lineage relationships by pseudotemporal ordering identified ligands, receptors, and transcription factor networks associated with fate decisions. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its cognate receptor NTRK2 were expressed in the neuronal lineage during organoid differentiation. Inhibiting this pathway improved organoid formation by reducing neurons by 90% without affecting kidney differentiation, highlighting the power of single-cell technologies to characterize and improve organoid differentiation.