Summary
Alpha-1-fetoprotein (AFP) was demonstrated on the surface of leukocytes from fetuses, newborns, and pregnant women using an immunofluorescent membrane staining technique with fluorescein-conjugated anti-AFP serum. Evidence is presented that fetal cells can be detected in the maternal circulation using membrane-bound AFP as a marker.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gitlin D, Boesman M (1967) Sites of serum alpha-fetoprotein synthesis in the human and in the rat. J Clin Invest 46:1010–1016
Gitlin D, Perricelli A, Gitlin GM (1972) Synthesis of alpha-fetoprotein by liver, yolk sac and gastrointestinal tract of the human conceptus. Cancer Res 32:979–982
Grouchy J de, Trebuchet C (1971) Transfusion foetomaternelle de lymphocytes sanguins et détection du sexe du foetus. Ann Génét 14:133–137
Herzenberg LA, Bianchi DW, Schröder J, Cann HM, Iverson GM (1979) Fetal cells in the blood of pregnant women: Detection and enrichment by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1976:1453–1455
Ikle A (1961) Trophoblastzellen im strömenden Blut. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 91:943–945
Iverson GM, Bianchi DW, Cann HM, Herzenberg LA (1981) Detection and isolation of fetal cells from maternal blood using the fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS). Prenatal Diagnosis 1:61–73
Kurman RJ, Scardino PT, McIntire KR, Waldmann TA, Javadpour N, Norris HJ (1978) Cellular localisation of AFP and HCG in germ cell tumors of the testis and ovary. Scand J Immunol Suppl 8: 127–130
Lamerz R, Fateh-Moghadam A (1975) Carcinofetale Antigene: 1. Alpha-Fetoprotein. Klin Wochenschr 53: 147–169
Nishioka M, Ibata T, Okita K, Harada T, Fujita T (1972) Localisation of alpha-fetoprotein in hepatoma tissues by immunofluorescence. Cancer Res 32:162–166
Papamichail M, Brown JC, Holbrow EJ (1971) Immunoglobulins on the surface of human lymphocytes. Lancet 2:850–852
Purtillo DT, Yunis EJ (1971) Alpha-fetoprotein. Its immunofluorescent localisation in human fetal liver and hepatoma. Lab Invest 25: 291–294
Schröder J (1975) Transplacental passage of blood cells. J Med Genet 12:230–242
Schröder J, Chapelle A de la (1972) Fetal lymphocytes in the maternal blood. Blood 39:153–162
Schröder J, Herzenberg LA (1979) Fetal cells in the maternal circulation. Prenatal diagnosis by using a fluorescence-activated cell-sorter (FACS). In: Milunsky A (ed) Genetic disorders and the fetus. Plenum Press, New York, pp 541–555
Schröder J, Tiilikanen A, Chapelle A de la (1974) Fetal leucocytes in the maternal circulation after delivery. Transplantation 17:346–354
Schröder J, Turunen O, Lundquist C, Chapelle A de la (1979) Maternal blood as a source of fetal cells for prenatal diagnosis. In: Prenatal diagnosis. Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference on prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. Ferdinand Enke Publishers, Stuttgart, pp 243–249
Smith JA, Francis TI, Edington GM, Williams AO (1971) Immunofluorescent localisation of human alpha-fetoprotein in fetal and neonatal livers and cultured cells from hepatocellular carcinoma. Br J Cancer 25:343–349
Walknowska J, Conte FA, Grumbach MM (1969) Practical and theoretical implications of fetal/maternal lymphocyte transfer. Lancet 1:1119–1122
Wick G, Baudner S, Herzog F (1976) Immunofluoreszenz. Die Medizinische Verlagsgesellschaft. Marburg/Lahn, pp 53–57
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kulozik, A., Pawlowitzki, I.H. Fetal cells in the maternal circulation: Detection by direct AFP-immunofluorescence. Hum Genet 62, 221–224 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333523
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333523