Hormone release by primary amniotic fluid cell cultures.

Amniotic fluid cells have been widely used in prenatal diagnosis; however, there is great heterogeneity of the cells and their origin. In this study we analyze the karyotype and release of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human chorionic somatomammotropin (hCS), free estriol (E 3), prolactin (PRL) and progesterone (P) of amniotic fluid cells from primary cultures of six normal and two anencephalic fetuses. In all the amniotic fluid samples there was release of hCG; in one amniotic fluid, in which several tetraploid colonies were found. PRL and P were also released. The heterogeneity of amniotic fluid cell morphology and their hormone release in culture was confirmed. The presence of hormones like hCG supports the trophoblastic origin of some amniotic fluid cells from normal and anencephalic fetuses. Other hormones, such as PRL and P could be used in the differential diagnosis between the karyotype of fetal membranes and the true fetal karyotype. Amniotic fluid cell cultures used in prenatal diagnosis yielded second trimester placental cells without any elaborate methods that could be used as cell models for hormone studies.