Traykova-Brauch et al. have developed a new approach to modeling renal diseases such as polycystic kidney disease, renal fibrosis and renal cancer in transgenic mice. In contrast to currently available tools, Pax8-rtTA–transgenic mice have high levels of transgene expression in a highly kidney-specific, uniform and tetracycline–dependent manner. The usefulness of the Pax8–rtTA system, which is both inducible and reversible, has been shown in three different settings.
- Milena Traykova-Brauch
- Kai Schönig
- Robert Koesters