Murine infantile polycystic kidney disease: a role for reduced renal epidermal growth factor

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) represents a form of renal epithelial hyperplasia. The C57BL/6J-cpk mouse, which has an infantile form of PKD, has a dramatically reduced expression of renal prepro-epidermal growth factor (EGF) mRNA and immunoreactive protein. Since EGF promoted maturation of epithelia in the neonate, the relative lack of renal EGF may contribute to the development of the collecting duct cysts by delaying epithelial maturation.