What type of kidney disease is characterized by the presence of cysts?

Polycystic kidney disease is characterized by the development of numerous cysts in the kidneys. These cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can grow significantly over time, leading to kidney enlargement and potentially impacting kidney function. The presence of cysts is a defining feature of this condition, which is often genetic in nature and can result in complications such as hypertension and kidney failure as the disease progresses.

In contrast, glomerulonephritis involves inflammation of the kidney's filtering units (glomeruli) and is more focused on changes to the kidney's architecture rather than the development of cysts. Diabetic nephropathy relates to damage caused by diabetes to the kidney's blood vessels, leading to a different set of structural changes and complications. Acute kidney injury, on the other hand, is an abrupt decline in kidney function that can occur due to various causes, but it does not inherently involve cyst formation. Each of these conditions presents different pathological characteristics, making polycystic kidney disease uniquely defined by the presence of cysts.