Cystic Fibrosis 2

Cystic Fibrosis Commonly found in young children, Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease that is caused by a genetic disorder. The disease originates in the production of a critical protein that transports chloride ions from one place to another called a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). The DNA of an infected person is missing three building blocks called nucleotides causing the CFTR protein to be missing one amino acid called phenylalanine. Normally, a healthy …

…the CFTR proteins not being delivered to the cell membrane, scientists have proposed types of drugs that could either physically move the CFTR proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the cell membrane or cause other protein channels to increase chloride movement. However, until this platform is achieved, doctors and scientists alike must continue to experiment and research until a cure is found. Bibliography Smith, Michael J. and Alan E. Smith, “Cystic Fibrosis”, Scientific American, Dec. 1995.