Abstract
THE use of amniotic fluid for the prenatal diagnosis of genetic disease has prompted investigations into the origin of amniotic fluid protein. Several observations (refs. 1–5 and R. G. S. and D. J. H. B., manuscript in preparation) have suggested that the foetus contributes protein to the fluid early in pregnancy, and it has also been claimed that during this time amniotic fluid is an extension of the foetal extracellular space6,7. Conversely, in term amniotic fluid, the serum proteins transferrin and group-specific component (Gc) have been found to be of maternal origin8–10. Serum proteins make up the great majority of amniotic fluid protein at all stages of gestation, but it is not known whether maternal or foetal serum is the source early in gestation. In this study, Gc polymorphism is used to investigate this point.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
O'Brien, J. S., Okada, S., Fillerup, D. L., Veath, M. L., Adornato, B., Brennar, P. H., and Leroy, J. G., Science, 172, 61 (1971).
Friedland, J., Perle, G., Saifer, A., Schneck, L., and Volk, B. W., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 136, 1297 (1971).
Harper, P., Bias, W. B., Hutchinson, J. R., and McKusick, V. A., J. Med. Genet., 8, 438 (1971).
Gitlin, D., and Boesman, M., J. Clin. Invest., 45, 1826 (1966).
Brzezinski, A., Sadovsky, E., and Shafrir, E., Amer. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 89, 488 (1964).
Lind, T., Parkin, F. M., and Cheyne, G. A., J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Brit. Commonwealth, 76, 673 (1969).
Lind, T., and Hytten, F. E., Lancet, i, 1147 (1970).
Seppälä, M., Ruoslahti, E., and Tallberg, T., Ann. Med. Exp. Fenn., 44, 61 (1965).
Ruoslahti, E., Tallberg, T., and Seppälä, M., Nature, 212, 841 (1966).
Usategui-Gomez, M., and Morgan, D. F., Nature, 212, 1600 (1966).
Melartin, L., Hirvonen, T., Kaarsalo, E., and Toinanan, P., Scand. J. Haematol., 3, 117 (1965).
Elandt-Johnson, R. C., Probability Models and Statistical Methods in Genetics, 132 (Wiley, New York, 1971).
Weeke, B., Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest., 25, 269 (1970).
Hirschfeld, J., Science Tools, 7, 18 (1960).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SUTCLIFFE, R., BROCK, D. & SCRIMGEOUR, J. Origin of Amniotic Fluid Group-specific Component. Nature 238, 400 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/238400a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/238400a0
This article is cited by
-
Group-specific component phenotyping by antibody-antigen crossed electrophoresis
Biochemical Genetics (1973)
