Cystic Fibrosis and The Cystic Fibrosis and The Effects on the PancreasEffects on the Pancreas

By Jon ObertBy Jon Obert

What is cystic fibrosisWhat is cystic fibrosis

• It is an genetic disease that is caused by a It is an genetic disease that is caused by a deletion of three base pairs on chromosome deletion of three base pairs on chromosome 7.7.

• This deletion causes a mutation in the cystic This deletion causes a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator protein (CFTR), which is responsible regulator protein (CFTR), which is responsible for transporting chloride into and out of cells.for transporting chloride into and out of cells.

• This causes it to not function properly or to be This causes it to not function properly or to be totally absent from the celltotally absent from the cell

What does this do to the What does this do to the body?body?

• Since the epithelial cells do not take Since the epithelial cells do not take in chloride, the salt balance of the in chloride, the salt balance of the skin gets messed up. skin gets messed up.

• This causes all the mucus in the body This causes all the mucus in the body to become extremely thick.to become extremely thick.

The PancreasThe Pancreas

• The Pancreas is an organ in the body The Pancreas is an organ in the body that secretes enzymes into the that secretes enzymes into the intestines to digest foods.intestines to digest foods.

• Some of the enzymes it secretes Some of the enzymes it secretes helps digest fats. helps digest fats.

What does cystic fibrosis do to What does cystic fibrosis do to a Pancreas?a Pancreas?

• The pancreas normally has a thin The pancreas normally has a thin mucosal coating around it. mucosal coating around it.

• The mutated protein that causes The mutated protein that causes cystic fibrosis causes the mucus to cystic fibrosis causes the mucus to become very thick. become very thick.

• This blocks the pathway the enzymes This blocks the pathway the enzymes take to the intestines so no enzymes take to the intestines so no enzymes can reach their destination.can reach their destination.

What does this Cause?What does this Cause?

• Since no enzymes reach the intestines Since no enzymes reach the intestines and these enzymes help digest and and these enzymes help digest and absorb fat along with a few other absorb fat along with a few other nutrients, Not much fat is absorbed in nutrients, Not much fat is absorbed in the body, and other nutrients are not the body, and other nutrients are not absorbed properly.absorbed properly.

• That is why people with cystic fibrosis That is why people with cystic fibrosis are normally skinny, even with strong are normally skinny, even with strong healthy diets, they still have trouble healthy diets, they still have trouble gaining weight. gaining weight.

What happens to all the fat What happens to all the fat that is undigested?that is undigested?

• It is removed with the feces and can It is removed with the feces and can cause severe diarrhea and weight cause severe diarrhea and weight loss. loss.

OverallOverall

• The mutation of this one protein The mutation of this one protein affects so many different things in affects so many different things in the body which makes cystic fibrosis the body which makes cystic fibrosis a very difficult disease to deal with a very difficult disease to deal with and life threatening.and life threatening.

ReferencesReferences

• http://www.ygyh.org/cf/cause.htmhttp://www.ygyh.org/cf/cause.htm

• http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/lhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/lungs/cf.htmlungs/cf.html

• http://kidshealth.org/kid/http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/heart/health_problems/heart/cystic_fibrosis.htmlcystic_fibrosis.html