Thus, though data from cell lines and mouse tissue as well as some patient data indicate that cholesterol is increased in airway epithelia, more work is necessary to confirm that this imbalance is due to the primary CFTR defect, to confirm that the mechanism established in non-epithelial cell lines is consistent with the mechanism in cells collected from people living with CF, and to understand the pathology of how this imbalance affects the wellbeing of people living with CF. Here, CFTR is linked to cystic fibrosis.