P2RX7 and polycystic kidney disease: P2X7 is also involved in polycystic kidney disease (PKD): in a mouse model of autosomal recessive PKD, P2X7 expression is up-regulated in CD cells as they undergo cystogenesis; in addition, P2X7 antagonism can reduce cyst number, but not size, in CD suspension cultures (Hillman et al., 2002, 2004).