Maternal microchimerism in human fetal tissues.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyze the presence of maternal cells in human fetal tissues in the second trimester.


METHODS
Tissues from 11 second-trimester fetuses terminated because of social reasons or because of malformations and/or trisomy were investigated. By cell sorting and polymerase chain reaction amplification, we studied the presence of maternal CD3+, CD19+, CD34+, and CD45+ in different fetal tissues and in placenta.


RESULTS
In the group of fetuses with normal karyotype and normal autopsy findings, 4 of 5 fetuses were positive for maternal microchimerism. In the group in which the fetuses were diagnosed with trisomy 21 and/or malformations, we found cells of maternal origin in 3 of 6 fetuses.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from this study indicate that maternal microchimerism is a common phenomenon in the second-trimester fetuses. Maternal cells of lymphoid and myeloid lineages and hematopoietic progenitors are widely distributed in the second-trimester fetuses.
Jonsson
Anna Maria
AM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Center for Fetal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden. anna.jonsson@karolinska.se
Uzunel
Mehmet
M
Götherström
Cecilia
C
Papadogiannakis
Nikos
N
Westgren
Magnus
M
D046528:Chimerism; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second