Fetal- and uterine-specific antigens in human amniotic fluid.
Removal of the major maternal serum proteins from second trimester amniotic fluid by antibody affinity chromatography revealed various soluble tissue antigens, of which two were fetal-specific skin proteins and another, of alpha2-mobility, was specific to the uterus, and was therefore designated alpha-uterine protein (AUP). These proteins could not be detected in maternal serum by antibody-antigen crossed electrophoresis. The concentration of AUP in amniotic fluid reached a maximum between 10 and 20 weeks of gestation, suggesting that there is an influx of uterine protein into the amniotic fluid at this stage of pregnancy.
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens