In a person who has CF, the CFTR protein may be missing or not function.
If there is too little water in the mucus, Cl- cannot be secreted across the apical membrane and there is no blockage of the epithelial sodium ion channels.
Since the Na+ channels are always open, there is continual Na+ absorption by the epithelial cells.
The raised levels of Na+ draw chloride ions and water out of the mucus into the cells
This makes the mucus more viscous
Which makes it harder for the beating cilia to move it.
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