title: Identification of maternal hematopoietic cells in a 2nd-trimester fetus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the subset of maternal cells in fetal tissue in a 2nd-trimester fetus with malformations.
  
  
  METHODS
  By cell sorting and PCR amplification, we studied the presence of maternal CD3+ (T cells), CD19+ (B cells), CD34+ (hematopoietic progenitor cells), and CD45+ (leukocytes) in different tissues in a 2nd trimester fetus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal cells could be detected in fetal liver, lung, heart, thymus, spleen, adrenal gland, kidney, and placenta, but not in pancreas or gonadal tissue. In thymus, liver, and spleen, cell separation showed CD3+, CD19+, CD34+, and CD45+ positive cells of maternal origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that maternal cells are widely distributed in a 2nd-trimester fetus. In addition, we found subpopulations of maternal cells belonging to lymphoid and myeloid lineages and hematopoietic progenitors with engraftment capacity in liver, spleen, and thymus. The study warrants further investigations on presence and possible biological function of maternal cells in normal and malformed fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Götherstrom
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnsson
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mattsson
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadogiannakis
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westgren
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000378:metabolism; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens