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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

The WinCF Model - An Inexpensive and Tractable Microcosm of a Mucus Plugged Bronchiole to Study the Microbiology of Lung Infections
Published on: May 8, 2017
Cystic Fibrosis: Microbiology and Host Response
Edith T Zemanick1, Lucas R Hoffman2
1Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 East 16th Avenue, B-395, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Abstract:
The earliest descriptions of lung disease in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) showed the involvement of 3 interacting pathophysiologic elements in CF airways: mucus obstruction, inflammation, and infection. Over the past 7 decades, our understanding of CF respiratory microbiology and inflammation has evolved with the introduction of new treatments, increased longevity, and increasingly sophisticated laboratory techniques. This article reviews the current understanding of infection and inflammation and their roles in CF lung disease. It also discusses how this constantly evolving information is used to inform current therapeutic strategies, measures and predictors of disease severity, and research priorities.
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