Cell-Free DNA in Maternal Plasma: Has the Size-Distribution Puzzle Been Solved?

Cell-free DNA in maternal plasma: has the size-distribution puzzle been solved?

The detection of cell-free fetal DNA from maternal plasma and serum by Dennis Lo and colleagues at Oxford University, UK, opened an exciting route for the noninvasive determination of fetal genetic traits (1 ). It has proved very effective for identifying fetal genetic loci completely absent from the maternal genome, such as those on the Y chromosome or the RHD (Rh blood group, D antigen) gene ...

The low incidence of cervical cancer in Jewish women: has the puzzle finally been solved?

[Electrocardiography and posterior wall infarction: has the enigma been solved?].

Size distributions of maternal and fetal DNA in maternal plasma.

BACKGROUND The discovery of fetal DNA in maternal plasma has opened up an approach for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Despite the rapid expansion in clinical applications, the molecular characteristics of plasma DNA in pregnant women remain unclear. METHODS We investigated the size distribution of plasma DNA in 34 nonpregnant women and 31 pregnant women, using a panel of quantitative PCR ass...

Cell-free Nucleic Acids in Maternal Plasma

The invasive procedures amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling are routinely applied in pregnancies at risk for fetal genetic disorders and the results obtained are the gold standard for prenatal diagnosis. These procedures have an approximately 0.5-1% risk for fetal loss and are mainly used in cases at risk for fetal chromosomal abnormalities and single-gene disorders. Identification of c...