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