Figure 4.

Cystic phenotypes in the Pkd2^−/−;PKD2^tg mice. There are no gross cysts in the 3-month-old Pkd2^−/−;PKD2^tg kidney (A). Gross cysts are seen in the 6- and 9-month-old kidneys (arrows) (B and C), and massive gross cysts occur in the 12-month-old kidneys (D). Histological analyses of the same kidneys show findings similar to those from the gross examinations (E–H). Gross cysts also occur in the 6-month-old Pkd2^−/−;PKD2^tg liver (arrow), and the 9- and 12-month-old livers show severe cystic phenotypes that worsened with age (I–L). Histological examinations of the same livers (M–P). No gross cysts are found in the Pkd2^−/−;PKD2^tg pancreas up to the age of 12 months (Q–T). Although there are no histological cysts in the 3- and 6-month-old pancreas (U and V), a few cystic lesions are seen in the sections of the 9- and 12-month-old pancreas (W and X) stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Scale bars: 2 mm (A–D); 4 mm (I–L); 1 mm (Q–T); 500 μm (E–H, M–P, U–X); 100 μm (insets).