The functions of the two proteins defective in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease,
polycystin-1 and polycystin-2, have not been fully clarified, but it has been hypothesized that
they may heterodimerize to form a" polycystin complex" involved in cell adhesion. In this
paper, we demonstrate for the first time the existence of a native polycystin complex in
mouse kidney tubular cells transgenic for PKD1, non-transgenic kidney cells, and normal
adult human kidney. Polycystin-1 is heavily N-glycosylated, and several glycosylated forms …