American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Feb 2016
CFTR in Sarcoplasmic Reticulum of Airway Smooth Muscle: Implications for Airway Contractility.
An asthma-like airway phenotype has been described in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Whether these findings are directly caused by loss of CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function or secondary to chronic airway infection and/or inflammation has been difficult to determine. ⋯ Loss of CFTR alters porcine airway smooth muscle function and may contribute to the airflow obstruction phenotype observed in human CF. Airway smooth muscle CFTR may represent a therapeutic target in CF and other diseases of airway narrowing.