2.4 In Depth Study Of A Gentic Disease Flashcards
1
Q
What happens in cystic fibrosis?
A
People who inherit two copies of the faulty allele lack effective cftr proteins. This means that the chloride ions build up in their cells instead of moving out through the channels and as a result water does not move out of their cells to dilute the mucus on the surface of their membranes. So water moves in by osmosis from the fluid surrounding the cells, making the mucus even more thick and sticky.
