title: The impact of gestational age on targeted amniotic cell profiling in experimental neural tube defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The proportions of select stem cells in term amniotic fluid have been shown to correlate with the type and size of experimental neural tube defects (NTDs). We sought to determine the impact of gestational age upon this form of targeted amniotic cell profiling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley fetuses with retinoic acid-induced NTDs (n = 110) underwent amniotic fluid procurement at four time points in gestation. Samples were analyzed by flow cytometry for the presence of cells concomitantly expressing Nestin and Sox-2 (neural stem cells, aNSCs) and cells concomitantly expressing CD29 and CD44 (mesenchymal stem cells, aMSCs). Statistical analysis was by nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA (p < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant impact of gestational age on the proportions of both aMSCs (p = 0.01) and aNSCs (p < 0.01) in fetuses with isolated spina bifida. No such impact was noted in normal fetuses (p > 0.10 for both cells), in isolated exencephaly (p > 0.10 for both cells), or in combination defects (p > 0.10 for both cells). Gestational age had no effect on aNSC/aMSC ratios.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeted quantitative amniotic cell profiling varies with gestational age in experimental isolated spina bifida. This finding should be considered prior to the eventual translation of this diagnostic adjunct into the prenatal evaluation of these anomalies. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., USA.
authors.forename: Elliot C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.forename: Kristy L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Rialon
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dionigi
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zurakowski
authors.forename: Dario O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Fauza
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D058953:Neural Stem Cells; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000175:diagnosis*