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Cystic Fibrosis Research Paper Thesis

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Cystic Fibrosis
Nicholas Culver
Introduction

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. It’s very common In the United States. It’s also very common amongst the Caucasian population. Its effects 1 in every 3,000 new born babies. Cystic fibrosis is less common in other ethnic groups. Effecting 1 in every 17,000 African Americans and 1 in every 30,000 Asian Americans. It causes the body to make a very thick type of mucus. The mucus is caused by an unbalance in salt in a person’s body. Leaving few to no salt and water on the outside of cells. When this happens the thin mucus that keeps the lungs free of germs becomes sticky. Cystic fibrosis effects the liver, lungs, pancreas, and the intestines. This disease makes it hard to breath and causes serious lung infections. The mucus affects the digestion by blocking the pancreas…show more content…
One copy from each parent. Both parents must have at least one copy of the defective gene. People with only one copy of the defective CF gene are called carriers, but they don’t have the disease. This gene makes a protein not work very well which causes the thick mucus and very salty sweat.
Scientists have found more than 1,700 different mutations in the CFTR that can cause CF. Scientist have spent years trying to put these thousands of mutations into groups. They’re so many types of mutations but here are just some of them. Protein Production Mutations include splice mutations. These interfere with the production of the CFTR protein. IF the CFTR gene has a splice mutation the protein building instructions send a signal that causes the production of CFTR protein to stop. Gating Mutations is another mutation of CF. The CFTR protein is shaped like a tunnel with a gate. The cell can open the gate when chloride needs to flow through the channel. Otherwise, the gate stays closed. Mutations lock the gate in the closed position so that chloride cannot get
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