A 28-year-old G1P0 woman undergoes a routine second-trimester prenatal ultrasound at 21 weeks’ gestation. The fetus has a normal amniotic fluid index. Ultrasound shows an enlarged left kidney replaced by multiple noncommunicating cysts with an irregular renal outline; the contralateral kidney appears normal. After delivery, the newborn has normal urine output and normal serum creatinine. Which of the following best explains the embryologic mechanism underlying this condition?