Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells are epithelial cells derived from dog kidney that form polarized monolayers with tight junctions when grown on permeable supports. Their morphology and barrier properties make them a widely used in vitro model for membrane permeability and epithelial transport studies.<\/p>
In drug discovery, MDCK cells serve as a rapid screening system for intestinal absorption. Unlike CACO-2 cells, which require about three weeks to differentiate, MDCK monolayers are ready for testing within 3\u20135 days. Permeability values obtained from MDCK assays correlate well with both CACO-2 data and human absorption, supporting their role as a high-throughput tool in early compound selection.<\/p>
Variants such as MDCK-MDR1, engineered to overexpress human P-glycoprotein, extend their use to transporter and efflux studies. While MDCK cells may not fully replicate human intestinal physiology, they remain a practical and efficient complement to CACO-2 in preclinical screening.<\/p>