Glial origin of rapidly adhering amniotic fluid cells.
Rapidly adhering cells (RA cells) from the amniotic fluid of a pregnancy with fetal anencephaly were investigated by immunofluorescence assay with an antiserum against glial cells. After 24 hours' cultivation a high proportion of the cells showed positive glial-specific fluorescence, whereas no staining was seen in cells from samples of normal amniotic fluid. At the 24th week the mother was delivered of a stillborn infant with anencephaly. Immunofluorescence staining of RA cells with glial-specific antiserum may be used for the differential diagnosis of fetal abnormalities associated with a high alpha-fetoprotein concentration in amniotic fluid.
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy