Polycystic Kidney Disease Research Paper

Polycystic Kidney Disease, also known as PKD, is a very common inherited gene disorder that causes the growth of cysts in the tissues of both the kidneys. The kidneys are a major organ in the excretory system; they remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood which are excreted from the body in the form of urine. They filter the blood, keeping it clean of all wastes and have a number of other functions as well. Due to the growth of cysts in the tissues of these kidneys, these functions may not be carried out and eventually will cause kidney failure. In this paper I will discuss in detail what PKD is, the many symptoms and treatments of PKD, and recent developments in research of this disease.

Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic disorder best known for the numerous cysts that form in the tissues of kidneys. The word polycystic means “many fluid-filled sacs” or “many cysts” (Kidney Foundation of Canada., n.d.). PKD has two forms; autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). ADPKD is much more common and it affects 1/400 to 1/1000 people (UpToDate (For patients), September 2009). It follows a dominant inheritance which means that if either of your parents have ADPKD you will have a 50% chance of inheriting it, however if you do not inherit the disease it cannot be passed onto your children because the disease does not skip generations. The cysts that are formed in the tissues of the kidneys are full of fluids which cause the kidneys to enlarge. This enlargement causes the kidneys to be unable to perform their normal functions, therefore resulting in various symptoms. About 50% of the people with ADPKD develop kidney failure near the age of 50-60 while people with ARPKD usually develop kidney failure within a few years during childhood; however, ARPKD is very rare (Kidney Foundation of Canada., n.d.). ADPKD is caused by one of two genetic defects, either Type 1 or Type 2. Type 1 is due to inheritance of...