Alpha-fetoprotein and hematopoietic growth factors in amniotic fluid☆
Section snippets
Materials and methods
Between October 1998 and February 1999, 41 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Demographics are shown in Table 1. All were consecutive patients undergoing genetic amniocentesis in our antenatal clinics at 15 weeks’ gestation for reasons of advanced maternal age (more than 35 years) (38 cases) or previous delivery of an infant with chromosomal abnormalities (three cases). Gestational age was assessed by obtaining a reliable menstrual history and scanning. However, all women had regular
Results
Table 2 shows the mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range, and range of each studied variable. Some variables (interleukin 3, interleukin 6, and G-CSF) had a nonnormal distribution, and log-transformed values were used. The level of AFP in AF had a significant correlation (Table 2) with stem cell factor (r = .47, P = .002) (Figure 1). No significant correlations between AFP and the rest of the studied cytokines were found (r = −.07, r = .02, r = −.02, and r = −.11 for
Discussion
It is suspected that the physiologic role of AFP is to modulate various growth-regulatory pathways during fetal development.8 However, the exact biologic role of this abundant protein in fetal life is still unclear.
In a previous study, we found a significant correlation between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) and fetal hemoglobin obtained both by prenatal cordocentesis and during elective cesarean delivery before labor.6 In a second part of that study, we also found a significant
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Amniotic fluid may act as a transporting pathway for signaling molecules and stem cells during the embryonic development of amniotes
2013, Journal of the Chinese Medical AssociationCitation Excerpt :A large number of proteins and peptides in AF have been identified, and evidence has shown that most of these proteins or polypeptides have low molecular weights.17 Among these proteins or peptides, an increasing number are identified as growth factors, tumor markers, and cytokines, which possess potent bioactivity.18–22 The concentrations of these molecules in AF show a dynamic pattern during embryonic development.
Lifespan of human amniotic fluid-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells
2011, CytotherapyCitation Excerpt :One of these sources is human amniotic fluid (14–16), which is routinely obtained during prenatal diagnostic procedures. Human amniotic fluid has great cellular heterogeneity, the composition of which varies with gestational age and fetal development (17–21). The viable adherent cells of amniotic fluid can be classified into three large groups according to their morphologic and biologic characteristics: epitheloid (E-type) cells, with a low expansion potential, typical amniotic fluid (AF-type) cells, with a moderate expansion potential, and fibroblastoid (F-type) cells, with an enormous expansion potential (22).
Potential Function of Amniotic Fluid in Fetal Development-Novel Insights by Comparing the Composition of Human Amniotic Fluid with Umbilical Cord and Maternal Serum at Mid and Late Gestation
2009, Journal of the Chinese Medical AssociationHuman and murine amniotic fluid c-Kit<sup>+</sup>Lin<sup>-</sup> cells display hematopoietic activity
2009, BloodCitation Excerpt :This observation may mirror differences between the 2 environments. The microenvironment, and particularly SCF, found at high doses in the AF27 has been shown to be implicated in the regulation of c-Kit surface expression.28 Human AF (hAF) contained a high proportion of similar Lin+ cells (Figure 1C); these were essentially macrophage-granulocyte lineages, together with mastocytes that coexpressed c-Kit, CD9, CD13, and other c-Kit− CD13+ granulocyte precursors.
Amniotic Fluid and Placental Stem Cells
2006, Methods in EnzymologyCitation Excerpt :Originally it is isotonic, containing proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea, and electrolytes. Later, urine excreted by the fetus increases its volume and changes its concentration (Bartha et al., 2000; Heidari et al., 1996; Sakuragawa et al., 1999; Srivastava et al., 1996). The fetus can breathe in the water, allowing normal growth and the development of lungs and the gastrointestinal tract.
Healing time of experimentally induced distal limb wounds in horses is not reduced by local injection of equine-origin liquid amnion allograft
2022, American Journal of Veterinary Research
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This work was supported by a grant from the Asociación para la Promoción de la Investigación en Ginecologı́a y Obstetricia.