Use of genetic markers to certify fetal origin of cultured amniotic fluid cells.

Phenotypes of five polymorphic enzymes: red cell acid phosphatase, phosphoglucomutase, esterase D, adenosine deaminase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were determined in extracts of 24 amniotic fluid cell cultures and in the corresponding maternal red cells. Twenty-one of the 24 fetus/mother pairs can be distinguished by at least one of the markers. Thus, polymorphic enzyme markers may be useful in affirmation of fetal origin of cultured cells and to avoid possible diagnostic errors.