Question

What is cystic fibrosis?

Answer 1

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder caused by recessive gene which follows Mendelian pattern of inheritance in human. A child may be born with CF to normal parents when both of them are carriers.

Explanation:

An autosomal recessive gene is responsible for causing the disease CF when present in double dose in the child, i.e. there is absence of corresponding dominant normal allele in the genotype of affected individual.

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CF has no cure. Formation of functional transmembrane conductance regulator protein is hampered by the mutation. As a result, thick mucus secretions accumulate in lungs and pancreas causing extreme complications.

Though life expectancy has considerably increased with advancement of medicine, most affected individuals fail to attain adulthood.