Growth characteristics of cells cultured from two murine models of polycystic kidney disease.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by multiple renal cysts that are lined by epithelium and filled with fluid. PKD may result from one of a number of factors, either inherited or environmental. In this study, we have compared two mouse models in which PKD results from a genetic cause. In the C57BL/6J-cpk model, the mutated gene is unknown. In the other model, an SV40 large T antigen transgene causes renal cysts. We examined cultured cells from the kidneys of these mouse models, comparing growth characteristics. Although several features of PKD lead one to expect that the epithelial cells lining the cysts would have an increased rate of proliferation in culture, we found that they did not. The implications of these findings are discussed.