A team led by UC San Francisco has discovered why mucus in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) is thick, sticky and difficult to cough up, leaving these patients more vulnerable to lung infection.  The team found that in CF, contrary to previous belief, inflammation causes new molecular bonds to form within mucus, transforming it from a liquid to an elastic sludge.  The … Continue reading Researchers identify the mechanism cystic fibrosis uses to thicken mucus in the lungs.