kidney cell line MDCK cell BTO:0000837 BrendaTissueOBO Madin-Darby canine kidney cell Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line The MDCK cell line was derived from a kidney of an apparently normal adult female cocker spaniel, September, 1958, by S.H. Madin and N.B. Darby. The cells are positive for keratin by immunoperoxidase staining. MDCK cells have been used to study processing of beta amyloid precursor protein and sorting of its proteolytic products.