CFTR and aspergillosis: Indeed, a study by Chaudhary et al. (2012) showed that the uptake and killing of conidia by bronchial epithelial cells is impaired by the presence of a non-functional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR, DF508), thereby supporting the view that dysfunctional epithelial responses might at least contribute, if not be the basis of, increased susceptibility to aspergillosis in at-risk patients [142].