NON-INVASIVE PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS USING CD45-ve FETAL CELLS

摘要

CD45-ve fetal cells without a maternal equivalent can be purified and expanded from maternal blood in the first trimester, thereby providing abundant fetal material for genetic testing by a non-invasive route. Advantageously, the cells are adherent and CD14?-ve, CD34-ve, CD68-ve, vWF-ve¿, myoglobin-ve, collagen-I-ve, cytokeratin?-ve, CD44+ve, CD105+ve, CD106+ve¿, prolyl-4-hydroxylase+ve, fibronectin+ve, α-smooth muscle actin+ve, and laminin+ve. A process for preparing cells is disclosed, comprising the steps of (a) extracting a blood sample from a pregnant female, and (b) enriching nucleated CD45-ve fetal cells therein. A process for prenatal testing of a fetus for a genetic disorder comprises the further step of (c) testing the enriched nucleated CD45-ve fetal cell.