Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disorder of the exocrine glands. The disorder affects the mucus-producing glands in the pancreas, lungs, and intestines and is marked by production of very thick mucus, excess sweating (with accompanied loss of electrolytes), more concentrated saliva, and overactivity of the part of the nervous system that controls automatic actions. It is the most common life-threatening genetic disease among anglos, affecting roughly one in 2000 births.
Cystic fibrosis is caused by a defective recessive gene. A person must inherit the defective gene from each parent before any abnormality is apparent. If a person inherits the gene from only one parent, they are a carrier and have no symptoms. Research Cystic Fibrosis
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Medicine
Research Cystic Fibrosis
