Inheritance and Genetics of Cystic Fibrosis

Inheritance of Cystic Fibrosis:

Autosomal recessive diseases are usually inherited from both parents who are both usually symptom-free genetic carriers (i.e. neither has the disease). See inheritance of autosomal recessive diseases.

Racial Patterns for Cystic Fibrosis:

Race Profile for Cystic Fibrosis: Mostly caucasian

Cystic Fibrosis: Inheritance and Genetics Details

Inheritance properties of Cystic Fibrosis:   Disease inherited from: Usually both parents who are symptom-free genetic carriers of Cystic Fibrosis; see inheritance of autosomal recessive diseases.

  Gender bias in inheritance: Male or females get the disease equally.

Inheritance Patterns

Inheritance odds for Cystic Fibrosis:   Overall odds of inheritance: Usually both parents who are symptom-free genetic carriers of Cystic Fibrosis; see inheritance of autosomal recessive diseases.

  Sibling of diseased child odds of inheriting disease: 25% usually for an autosomal recessive disease.

  Inheritance from one diseased parent odds: Usually 0% of disease, 100% of being a genetic carrier if one parent has an autosomal recessive disease (not just carrier).

  Inheritance from two diseased parents odds: 100%. Rare case where both parents are not carriers but actually have the autosomal recessive disease.

Genetic Carriers

Genetic carriers of Cystic Fibrosis:   Inheritance from one carrier parent odds: 0% approximately.

  Inheritance from two carrier parents odds: 25% disease, 50% chance carrier, 25% neither for autosomal recessive diseases.

Inheritance Features

Inheritance features for Cystic Fibrosis:   Inheritance pattern: Inheritance patterns for autosomal recessive diseases tend to be "horizontal".

  Sporadic form of disease possible?: Very unlikely.

Cystic Fibrosis: Genetics Information

Genetics of Cystic Fibrosis:

Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology (Excerpt)

CF is caused by a defective gene, which codes for a chloride transporter found on the surface of the epithelial cells that line the lungs and other organs. Several hundred mutations have been found in this gene, all of which result in defective transport of chloride, and secondarily sodium, by epithelial cells. As a result, the amount of sodium chloride (salt) is increased in bodily secretions. The severity of the disease symptoms of CF is directly related to the characteristic effects of the particular mutation(s) that have been inherited by the sufferer. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

NHLBI, Facts About Cystic Fibrosis: NHLBI (Excerpt)

To have CF, a child must inherit two abnormal genes-one from each parent. The recessive CF gene can occur in both boys and girls because it is located on non-sex-linked chromosomes called autosomal chromosomes. CF is therefore called an autosomal recessive genetic disease. (Source: excerpt from NHLBI, Facts About Cystic Fibrosis: NHLBI)

About inheritance and genetics:

Inheritance of Cystic Fibrosis refers to whether the condition is inherited from your parents or "runs" in families. The level of inheritance of a condition depends on how important genetics are to the disease. Strongly genetic diseases are usually inherited, partially genetic diseases are sometimes inherited, and non-genetic diseases are not inherited. For general information, see Introduction to Genetics.