Summary
We have investigated the origin of rapidly adhering (RA) cells in three cases of neural tube defects (two anencephali, one encephalocele). We were able to demonstrate the presence of glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein in variable percentages (4–80%) of RA cells cultured for 4–6 days by use of indirect immunofluorescence with GFA antiserum. Cells cultured from amniotic fluids of normal pregnancies and fetal fibroblasts were completely GFA protein negative. GFA protein is well established as a highly specific marker for astrocytes. Demonstration of astrocytes may prove to be a criterion of high diagnostic value for neural tube defects. The percentage of astrocytes decreased with increasing culture time, while the percentage of fibronectin positive cells increased both in amniotic fluid cell cultures from neural tube defects and normal pregnancies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bignami D, Dahl D (1974) Astrocyte-specific protein and neuroglial differentiation. An immunofluorescent study with antibodies to the fibrillary acidic protein. J Comp Neurol 153: 27–38
Buamah AK, Evans L, Ward AM (1980) Amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase isoenzyme patterns in the diagnosis of neural tube defects. Clin Chim Acta 103:147–151
Campbell S, Thoms A (1977) The use of ultrasound in the antental diagnosis of neural tube defects. Birth Defects: Orig Art Ser XII, No 3D:209–216
Chen LB, Maitland N, Gallimore PH, McDougall JK (1977) Detection of the large external transformation-sensitive protein on some epithelial cells. Exp Cell Res 106:39–46
Crouch E, Balian G, Holbrook K, Duskin D, Bornstein P (1978) Amniotic fluid fibronectin. J Cell Biol 78:701–715
Eng LF, Kosek JC (1974) Light and electron microscopic localization of the glial fibrillary acidic protein and S-100 protein by immunoenzymatic techniques. Trans Am Soc Neurochem 5:160
Eng LF, Vanderhaeghen JJ, Bignami A, Gerstl B (1971) An acidic protein isolated from fibrous astrocytes. Brain Res 28:351–354
Gosden CM, Brock DJH (1977) Morphology of rapidly adhering amniotic fluid cells as an aid to the diagnosis of neuraltube defects. Lancet I:919–922
Gosden CM, Brock DJH, Eason P (1977) The origin of the rapidly adhering cells found in amniotic fluids from foetuses with neural tube defects. Clin Genet 12:193–201
Gosden CM, Brock DJH (1978) Combined used of alphafetoprotein and amniotic fluid cell morphology in early prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. J Med Genet 15:262–270
Haas-Andela H, Altland K, Fuhrmann W, Bleyl H (1980) Screening und pränatale Diagnostik von Neuralrohrdefekten — Alpha-Fetoprotein-Spiegel und Acetylcholinesterase-Muster. Abstraktbuch der 2. Tagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft klinische Genetik in Gießen
Laurell CB (1966) Quantitative estimation of proteins by electrophoresis in agarose gel containing antibodies. Anal Biochem 15:45
Nørgaard-Pedersen B, Jørgensen PJ, Trolle D (1976) Alphafetoprotein concentration in amniotic fluid during the last trimester in normal pregnancies and in pregnancies with severe fetal abnormalities. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 55:59–62
Sarkar S, Chang HC, Porreco RP, Jones OW (1980) Neural origin of cells in amniotic fluid. Am J Obstet Gynecol 136:67–72
Schachner M, Hedley-White ET, Hsu DW, Schoonmaker G, Bignami A (1977) Ultrastructural localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein in mouse cerebellum by immunoperoxidase labeling. J Cell Biol 75:67–73
Schachner M, Schoonmaker G, Hynes RO (1978) Cellular and subcellular localization of LETS protein in the nervous system. Brain Res 158:149–158
Schnitzer J, Schachner M (1980a) Expression of Thy-1, H-2 and NS-4 cell surface antigens and tetanus toxin receptors in early postnatal and adult mouse cerebellum. Submitted for publication
Schnitzer J, Schachner M (1980b) Characterization of isolated mouse cerebellar cell population in vitro. Submitted for publication
Seppälä M (1977) Immunologic detection of alpha-fetoprotein as a marker of fetal pathology. Clin Obstet Gynecol 20: 737–757
Smith AD, Wald NJ, Cuckle HS, Stirrat GM, Bobrow M, Lagercrantz H (1979) Amniotic-fluid Acetylcholinesterase as a possible diagnostic test for neural-tube defects in early pregnancy. Lancet I:685–690
Sutherland GR, Brock DJH, Scrimgeour JB (1975) Amniotic fluid macrophages and the antenatal diagnosis of anencephaly and spina bifida. J Med Genet 12:135–137
Voigtländer T, Müller U, Schroeder TM (1978) Rapidly adhering cells in two cases of anencephaly. Hum Genet 45:107–110
Wald NJ, Cuckle HS (1979) Amniotic-fluid alpha-fetoprotein measurement in antenatal diagnosis of anencephaly and open spina bifida in early pregnancy. Second report of the U.K. collaborative study on alpha-fetoprotein in relation to neural-tube defects. Lancet II:651–662
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cremer, M., Schachner, M., Cremer, T. et al. Demonstration of astrocytes in cultured amniotic fluid cells of three cases with neural-tube defect. Hum Genet 56, 365–370 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00274694
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00274694