Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a cystic genetic disorder of the kidneys in humans and some other animals. It is characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys, and tends to occur around the age of 50. PKD is the most common genetic, life threatening disease affecting millions of people globally. At present, there is no cure for the disease, or treatment to prevent the decline of kidney function. When PKD causes kidneys to fail, the patient requires dialysis or kidney transplantation. 

Scientists worldwide are trying to identify the processes that trigger formation of PKD cysts. In this connection, scientists from the NARL’s National Laboratory Animal Center (NLAC) have employed miA interference technique to generate mice with a genetic disease that parallels inherited forms of human PKD. These mice may be used as an animal model. And studying with this animal model likely will lead to greater understanding of the genetic and pathogenetic mechanisms involved in cyst formation, and to safe and effective treatments for humans with the disease. The NARL-NLAC’s achievement is published in the November issue of the Joual of Pathology and selected as the cover of the very issue.