title: A physiological phase separation in airway mucus.
abstract: The pathology of the disease cystic fibrosis is known to be associated very generally with ionic imbalance in the mucosal secretion which lines the respiratory tract, so-called airway surface liquid (ASL). The imbalance is caused by mutation of a transmembrane protein (CFTR) implicated in the control of ion traffic across the airway epithelium. It is feasible that CFTR malfunction undermines a putative phase-separated texture of healthy ASL which is apparent in electron microscopy images. A molecular statistical description of ASL is presented here with the aim of illustrating this hypothesis at the phenomenological level. The model predicts that a volume criterion and a salt criterion must be met in order to achieve the phase-separated texture. These predictions help to rationalise the findings of clinical trials. In conjunction with further experimental investigation, molecular statistical approaches in this spirit have the potential to play a useful role in the drive towards treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, Norway. Nicholas.Braun@fagmed.uit.no
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009093:Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D009995:Osmosis; D044367:Phase Transition; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000502:physiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D012965:Sodium Chloride