Cystic Fibrosis, or CF for short, is a disease that primarily causes issues with the respiratory and digestive systems. At the core, the disease is caused by a mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene.

These mutations cause the CFTR protein to become dysfunctional, and therefore cannot help move chloride – a component of salt – to the cell surface. Without chloride, water does not make its way to the cell surface which in turn causes the mucous throughout the body to become thick and sticky.