Fetal cells in the maternal circulation: isolation by multiparameter flow cytometry and confirmation by polymerase chain reaction
- 1 November 1991
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Human Reproduction
- Vol. 6 (10) , 1466-1469
- https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137290
Abstract
During pregnancy, nucleated fetal erythrocytes enter the maternal circulation and can be isolated efficiently from the maternal cells by multiparameter flow cytometry. Male DNA, implying presence of a male fetus, can be identified in flowsorted maternal blood by polymerase chain reaction with oligonucleotide primers flanking single-copy Y-specific DNA sequences. Among flow-sorted samples, we correctly identified fetal sex in 17/18 (94%) pregnancies of 10–21 weeks gestation. Maternal blood thus provides a potential opportunity for prenatal diagnosis that could preclude the need for invasive procedures in current use.Keywords
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