Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that is associated with abnormal sweat electrolytes, sino-pulmonary disease, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and male infertility. Insights into genotype/phenotype relations have recently been gained in this disorder. The strongest relationship exists between 'severe' mutations in the gene that encodes the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) an...

The poly-T tract in intron 8 of the cystic fibrosis conductance transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene exists in three variants, 5T, 7T, and 9T. The 7T and 9T variants generate a predominantly normal transcript, whereas the 5T variant engenders an anomalous product. The analysis of the poly-T tract is assuming increasing relevance, both to assess the implication of the CFTR gene in congenital bila...