Re: quantitation of fetal cells by flow

steven micko (steven_micko@email.eushc.ORG)
Wed, 26 Jun 96 07:59:33 EST

>Hello all!
>I was wondering if anyone knew of a method for the quantification of fetal RBCs
>i n maternal
>blood via flow cytometry. Clinical and or research. Any help would be much
>appr eciated.
>Thanks in advance.
>R.Brody

I don't know about measuring fetal RBCs in maternal blood, but I was
surprised when we tried to run our stem cell panel on umbilical cord
blood and found the RBCs very difficult to lyse by conventional means:
NH4CL, R&D Systems kit, etc. Does this add any light to the subject?
In addition, and along the lines of studying fetal/cord/maternal
blood, I would like to know:

(1) Why cord blood RBCs behave different from adult peripheral blood
and fetal blood under the standard lysis conditions.

(2) Does anybody know of a way to lyse cord RBCs and leave the WBC
intact?

Thanks

Steve Micko
Emory Hospital
Atlanta