Main Lesson Some of the diseases that people suffer from are inherited from their parents. Genes control every characteristic we have. If we study certain diseases we understand how they are passed from one generation to the next. Cystic Fibrosis is a common disease. About one in every 1600 people suffers from it.
Sufferers have a problem with their lungs and pancreas.
The tubes in their lungs fill up with sticky mucus. As they fill up, it becomes more difficult for the person to breathe. A person with the disease also has problems digesting food because the tubes in their digestive system also fill up with mucus and interfere with the enzymes needed for digestion. People who suffer from the disease have inherited a gene from both their parents. Both parents were carriers for Cystic Fibrosis.