Frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in humans at 14-16 week foetal stage and at birth

Abstract

In order to identify transplacental induced mutagenicity in humans the baseline frequency of sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) in amniotic fluid cells (8.56 +/- 0.28 per cell) from 14 to 16-week-old foetuses as well as in peripheral blood lymphocytes (7.96 +/- 0.26 per cell) from newborns was determined. A group of twelve patients who were analysed both at 14-16 weeks gestation and at birth showed no SCE variations. These results suggest that foetal amniocytes and T lymphocytes from newborns present a similar sensitivity to the mutagenic activity of the thymidine analogue 5-bromodeoxyuridine employed in the sister chromatid differentiation.