Two-colour immunocytochemical staining of gamma (gamma) and epsilon (epsilon) type haemoglobin in fetal red cells.

We have developed a two-colour immunocytochemical staining method for the detection of fetal and embryonic haemoglobin in erythroid cells. The method was applied to study these haemoglobin types in fetal red cells. Specimens from fetal blood (10 weeks), cord blood and fetal liver (14 weeks) as well as chorionic villus samples (10-13 weeks) were stained for gamma and epsilon chains using CY3 and FITC labelled antibodies.

Androgens and masculinization of genitalia in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). 1. Urogenital morphology and placental androgen production during fetal life.

According to common understanding of sexual differentiation, the formation and development of a penile clitoris in female spotted hyaenas requires the presence of naturally circulating androgens during fetal life. The purpose of the present study was to determine potential source(s) of such fetal androgens by investigating the timing of urogenital development and placental production of androgen during early and mid-gestation. Fetuses determined to be female by molecular techniques (lack of SRY gene) at days 33 and 48 of gestation had undifferentiated gonads, but the clitoris was already 'masculinized' and was generally similar to the phallus of a 50-day-old male fetus.

Reproductive Genetic Counseling to Asian-Pacific and Latin American Immigrants.

Latin and Asian-Pacific immigrants are the fastest growing new-comer groups in the U.S. contributing to 85% of immigration totals.

In utero allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to induce tolerance.

We studied the efficacy of in utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and the ability of such transplantation to induce tolerance in a fetal normal mouse allogeneic model. In 9 of the 162 surviving recipients (5.6%), cells of donor origin were detected after birth.

Use of amniotic fluid amino acids in prenatal testing for argininosuccinic aciduria and citrullinaemia.

Prenatal testing of 12 pregnancies at risk for argininosuccinic aciduria due to argininosuccinate lyase (ASAL) deficiency and three pregnancies at risk for citrullinaemia due to argininosuccinate synthatase (ASAS) deficiency was performed by metabolite detection in amniotic fluid and measurement of enzyme activity in uncultured and cultured chorionic tissue and in cultured amniocytes. From our data and those of previous studies, amniotic fluid argininosuccinate measurement alone is clearly a reliable and rapid diagnostic test for both severe and mild ASAL deficiency if maternal ASAL deficiency can be excluded. For prenatal diagnosis of ASAS deficiency, however, both measurement of the amniotic fluid citrulline level and enzyme assay should be employed.