title: Cystic fibrosis revisited.
abstract: Cystic fibrosis is a pleiotropic disease whose primary defect is thought to be abnormal chloride conductance. Despite intensive study, the role of the protein in the airway and the mechanism for its direct participation in the disease pathology remain unclear. This paper reviews CFTR's cell regulatory functions and data supporting the role of CFTR in secretory epithelial cell development. A hypothesis for CF pathophysiology based on secretory cell differentiation is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Therapeutics, Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70121, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: C505032:CFTR protein, human; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator