Genetics of cystic fibrosis: Basics.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder whose responsible gene - the CFTR gene - was discovered 30 years ago by a positional cloning strategy. This gene, which encodes a chloride channel, contains more than 2,000 mutations including a major one (p.Phe508del). This discovery has led to considerable progress in the understanding of the pathophysiology of CF as well as in the management of patients and their families. It has also paved the way for the development of specific therapies for the disease. From an epidemiological point of view, the incidence of CF, which shows loco-regional variations, is now estimated at 1/4,700 live births in France. The face of CF has dramatically changed over the past decades: CF has gradually become a disease of the adult with, today, more than 50% of the patients being 18 years old or more and a median predicted survival age that exceeds 45 years.