Production of α1 and α2 Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains during Fetal Life

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Abstract
Summary: IgA and its subclasses IgA1 and IgA2 were measured in fetal serum and amniotic fluid throughout gestation by hemagglutination inhibition tests. The IgA1/(IgA1 + IgA2) ratio was higher for fetal serum than for amniotic fluid and was significantly higher in the third than in the second trimester in both amniotic fluid and fetal serum. Am2, a genetic marker for human α2 heavy chains, was typed in a number of combinations of maternal and paternal sera, amniotic fluid, and fetal serum. Three families were informative in that Am2 was present in amniotic fluid, was absent from maternal serum, but present in paternal serum. It was concluded that the fetus synthesized IgA2 in vtero.

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