James M. Wilson, Editor ductance, and by analogy with the sweat duct (11, 12) this allows
salt levels in the ASL to remain at levels similar to those in plasma. The high salt in the ASL …

The story of cystic fibrosis (CF) research over the last decade has provided important
lessons about the power and limitations of positional cloning of disease genes, the …

Background Active sodium absorption is the dominant mechanism of ion transport in airway
epithelium, but its role in pulmonary physiology and airway host defense is unknown. To …

Minimally manipulated nasal secretions, an accessible form of airway surface fluid, were
tested against indigenous and added bacteria by using CFU assays. Antimicrobial activity …

The bactericidal machinery of mammalian neutrophils is built up of many components with
different chemical properties, involving proteins, peptides and oxygen-dependent radicals …

The epithelia that line the airways of the lung exhibit two general functions:(1) airway
epithelia in all regions 'defend'the lung against infectious and noxious agents; and (2) …

It has been postulated that hypertonic saline (HS) might impair the antimicrobial effects of
defensins within the airways. Alternative non-ionic osmotic agents such as mannitol may …

We have demonstrated previously the regulation of Cl−/HCO 3− exchange activity by the
cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in model systems of cells …

The human airway has two aqueous layers that are vital for normal lung function. A mucous
layer traps inhaled bacteria and foreign particles. A thin layer of airway surface fluid (ASL) …

Cystic fibrosis is a severe monogenic disorder of ion transport in exocrine glands. The basic
defect predisposes to chronic bacterial airway infections with Staphylococcus aureus …