Petr Kratochvil [Public domain] via Wikimedia CommonsCystic fibrosis (CF) affects about 1 in 4,000 newborns in the US. This inherited disease involves the mucus glands of the lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines, causing progressive disability from multiple system failures. About 20 years ago, it was determined that CF is caused by mutation of the gene CFTR. Despite that discovery, however, the underlying disease process is still not well understood, and CF remains incurable.
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