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Fetal gender determination in early first trimester pregnancies of rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) by fluorescent PCR analysis of maternal serum
Author(s) -
Jimenez Daniel F.,
Tarantal Alice F.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1046/j.1600-0684.2003.00041.x
Subject(s) - sexing , fetus , gestation , biology , polymerase chain reaction , andrology , real time polymerase chain reaction , pregnancy , obstetrics , physiology , medicine , genetics , gene
Non‐human primate fetal gender determination can be a powerful tool for research study design and colony management purposes. The recent discovery of the presence of fetal DNA in maternal serum has offered a new non‐invasive approach for identification of fetal gender. We present a rapid and simple method for the sexing of developing rhesus monkeys in the first trimester by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of maternal serum. Serum samples were obtained from 72 gravid rhesus monkeys during 20–32 days of gestation (term 165 ± 10 days). Fetal gender and the quantity of circulating fetal DNA were determined by real‐time PCR analysis of the rhesus Y‐chromosomal DNA sequences. The sensitivity for identifying a male fetus was 100% by 30 days gestation, and no false‐positive results were observed. This study demonstrates that fetal gender can be reliably determined in the early first trimester from maternal serum samples, a non‐invasive method for routine gender screening.