A high yield of fetal nucleated red blood cells isolated using optimal osmolality and a double-density gradient system.
OBJECTIVE
To increase the yield of fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) from maternal blood using a discontinuous Percoll gradient and to determine the effects of osmolality on NRBC yield.


METHODS
Fetal NRBCs were isolated from combined umbilical cord blood and adult female blood, or from maternal blood using single or double Percoll gradients with different osmolalities. Magnetic activated cell sorting was used to enrich isolated NRBCs, and morphological differentiation was performed with Kleihauer-Betke stain. We also isolated fetal NRBCs from 25 10 mL samples of maternal blood and determined fetal sex by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), using X-Y probes.


RESULTS
For single-density Percoll columns, the greatest number of NRBCs was isolated using 280 mOsm/kg H(2)O with 1.077 g/mL Percoll and 520 mOsm/kg H(2)O with 1.119 g/mL Percoll. Significantly more fetal NRBCs were isolated with double Percoll density gradients than with double-Histopaque gradients (p = 0.043). FISH analysis on NRBC in 25 cases correctly identified 15 male and 9 female euploid fetuses and one Trisomy 21 fetus.


CONCLUSIONS
The NRBC enrichment method we present requires less maternal blood and yields more NRBCs compared to previous methods.
Kwon
K H
KH
School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Jeon
Y J
YJ
Hwang
H S
HS
Lee
K A
KA
Kim
Y J
YJ
Chung
H W
HW
Pang
M G
MG
D000328:Adult; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient / Q000379:methods*; D004900:Erythroblasts; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D018189:Immunomagnetic Separation / Q000379:methods; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*