The Number of Endovascular Trophoblasts in Maternal Blood Increases Overnight and after Physical Activity: An Experimental Study.

Introduction: Fetal cells in maternal blood may be used for noninvasive prenatal diagnostics, although their low number is a challenge. This study's objectives were to evaluate whether physical activity, transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound scans of the uterus, as well as overnight or day-to-day variation affect the number of isolated fetal cells, more specifically the presumed endovascular trophoblast (pEVT).

Material And Methods: In each of 3 different experiments, 10 normal singleton pregnant women (gestational age 10+4-14+4 weeks) participated.

In-service documentation tools and statements on palliative sedation in Germany--do they meet the EAPC framework recommendations? A qualitative document analysis.

Background: Numerous (inter-)national guidelines and frameworks have been developed to provide recommendations for the application of palliative sedation (PS). However, they are still not widely known, and large variations in PS clinical practice can be found.

Aim: This study aims to collect and describe contents from documents used in clinical practice and to compare to what extent they match the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) framework recommendations.

Fetal gender and several cytokines are associated with the number of fetal cells in maternal blood--an observational study.

Objective: To identify factors influencing the number of fetal cells in maternal blood.

Methods: A total of 57 pregnant women at a gestational age of weeks 11-14 were included. The number of fetal cells in maternal blood was assessed in 30 ml of blood using specific markers for both enrichment and subsequent identification.

A new marker set that identifies fetal cells in maternal circulation with high specificity.

Objective: Fetal cells from the maternal circulation (FCMBs) have the potential to replace cells from amniotic fluid or chorionic villi in a diagnosis of common chromosomal aneuploidies. Good markers for enrichment and identification are lacking.

Method: Blood samples from 78 normal pregnancies were used for testing the marker-set CD105 and CD141 for fetal cell enrichment.

Characterization of fetal cells from the maternal circulation by microarray gene expression analysis--could the extravillous trophoblasts be a target for future cell-based non-invasive prenatal diagnosis?

Introduction: Circulating fetal cells in maternal blood provide a tool for risk-free, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. However, fetal cells in the maternal circulation are scarce, and to effectively isolate enough of them for reliable diagnostics, it is crucial to know which fetal cell type(s) should be targeted.

Materials And Methods: Fetal cells were enriched from maternal blood by magnetic-activated cell sorting using the endothelial cell marker CD105 and identified by XY fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Identification of circulating fetal cell markers by microarray analysis.

Objective: Different fetal cell types have been found in the maternal blood during pregnancy in the past, but fetal cells are scarce, and the proportions of the different cell types are unclear. The objective of the present study was to identify specific fetal cell markers from fetal cells found in the maternal blood circulation at the end of the first trimester.

Method: Twenty-three fetal cells were isolated from maternal blood by removing the red blood cells by lysis or combining this with removal of large proportions of maternal white blood cells by magnetic-activated cell sorting.

Microselection--affinity selecting antibodies against a single rare cell in a heterogeneous population.

Rare cells not normally present in the peripheral bloodstream, such as circulating tumour cells, have potential applications for development of non-invasive methods for diagnostics or follow up. Obtaining these cells however require some means of discrimination, achievable by cell type specific antibodies. Here we have generated a microselection method allowing antibody selection, by phage display, targeting a single cell in a heterogeneous population.

Epsilon haemoglobin specific antibodies with applications in noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.

Invasive procedures for prenatal diagnosis are associated with increased risk of abortion; thus, development of noninvasive procedures would be beneficial. Based on the observation that embryonic nucleated red blood cell (NRBC) crosses the placenta and enters the circulation of pregnant women, the ability to identify such cell would allow development of such procedures. Identification of NRBCs in blood samples would be possible provided that specific antibodies are available.

The fetal erythroblast is not the optimal target for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis: preliminary results.

Fetal cells, present in the blood of pregnant women, are potential targets for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. The fetal erythroblast has been the favorite target cell type. We investigated four methods of enrichment for fetal erythroblasts, identifying only three fetal erythroblasts in 573 ml of maternal blood.

Fetal cells in maternal blood: a comparison of methods for cell isolation and identification.

Objective: A variety of methods have been used to select and identify fetal cells from maternal blood. In this study, a commonly used 3-step selection method is compared with selection directly from whole blood. Identification of fetal origin by XY FISH of male cells was also evaluated.

Sensitivity and specificity of the identification of fetal cells in maternal blood by combined staining with antibodies against beta-, gamma- and epsilon-globin chains.

Objectives: Antibodies against fetal and embryonic hemoglobins may identify fetal cells in maternal blood. Both gamma- and epsilon-globins are used as fetal cell markers. Gamma-globin is not fetus specific.

Detection of gamma-globin mRNA in fetal nucleated red blood cells by PNA fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Objectives: Fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) that enter the peripheral blood of the mother are suitable for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. The application of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes for tyramide amplified flow fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detection of gamma-globin mRNA in fixed fetal NRBC is investigated.

Methods: Hemin-induced K562 cells or nucleated blood cells (NBC) from male cord blood were mixed with NBC from non-pregnant women and analysed using both slide and flow FISH protocols.