| Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening disease caused by | | | | respiratory system secretes thin and slippery mucus |
| a defective gene and affecting about 30,000 children | | | | to clear away the foreign bodies and microorganisms |
| in America. There is no cure for it so far, but there | | | | that invade the system. In cystic fibrosis patients this |
| are lots of promising experiments and clinical studies | | | | mucus, thick and sticky, not only fails to clean the |
| going on to find a genetic therapy to cure cystic | | | | system but also blocks the lungs and airways and |
| fibrosis.Humans transmit the genetic code to the next | | | | creates a life-threatening problem with the |
| generation through DNA, containing 23 pairs of | | | | respiratory system. As the microorganisms are not |
| chromosomes. The seventh chromosome contains | | | | cleared there are serious infections, like bronchitis, |
| the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis. There | | | | pneumonia and influenza. So a cystic fibrosis patient |
| are over ten million Americans who this defective | | | | has to take care of his respiratory system |
| gene without having the disease. When both parents | | | | constantly, with bronchodilators, electrical clappers |
| are carriers there is a 25% chance that the child will | | | | and electrical inflatable vest vibrators. Newer |
| have a recessive gene; that is, the child has two | | | | antibiotics control the infections to a good extent.In |
| copies of the defective gene from both parents. This | | | | the digestive system the ducts between the |
| gene signals the epithelial cells to produce cystic | | | | pancreas and intestine and between the liver and |
| fibrosis trans-membrane conductance regulator | | | | intestine are blocked. Due to the shortage of |
| (cystic fibrosisTR). It is a bad protein found in the | | | | enzymes and bile, the cystic fibrosis patient is unable |
| digestive system, skin and reproductive system of | | | | to digest fats and proteins. He becomes |
| cystic fibrosis patients.When the cystic fibrosisTR is | | | | malnourished, underweight and weak. Enzyme and |
| not normal, the regulation of salt through the | | | | vitamin supplements take care of the problem to an |
| membranes becomes defective. This results in the | | | | extent. In the reproductive system the duct |
| secretions of the lining such as mucus, digestive | | | | between the testes and prostate get blocked, and |
| juices and sweat, becoming thick and sticky.The | | | | so a majority of cystic fibrosis patients are sterile. |