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Glossary

  • Central Doublet: Pair of microtubules in the center of the cilium that determines the beat direction and orientation.
  • Chromosome: Physical structure consisting of a large DNA molecule organized into genes and supported by proteins called chromatin.
  • Cilium (plural - Cilia): Small hair-like projections that line the airway, middle ear, and paranasal sinuses that move rhythmically to clear particulates and bacteria from the lung.
  • Compound Heterozygote: An individual who has two different abnormal alleles at a particular locus, one on each chromosome of a pair; usually refers to individuals affected with an autosomal recessive disorder.
  • Conductive Hearing Loss: Hearing loss due to middle ear effusions or other problems with the bones of the middle ear
  • Congenita (or Congenital): Occurring at or near birth.
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR): A prominent chloride (salt) channel present at the surface of respiratory epithelia and is dysfunctional in cystic fibrosis.
  • Cytoplasm:  A complex of structures, proteins, and organelles (not including the nucleus) that make up a cell.