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Concanavalin A‐affinity Molecular Variants of Rat AFP: Differences Among Amniotic Fluid, Fetal Serum, Newborn Serum and Maternal Serum
Author(s) -
SMITH C. J.,
KELLEHER P. C.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1978.tb03938.x
Subject(s) - concanavalin a , amniotic fluid , gestation , fetus , endocrinology , alpha fetoprotein , medicine , yolk sac , biology , alpha (finance) , andrology , pregnancy , biochemistry , embryo , in vitro , genetics , construct validity , nursing , patient satisfaction , hepatocellular carcinoma , microbiology and biotechnology
The concanavalin A‐affinity molecular variants of rat alpha‐fetoprotein were measured in amniotic fluid, fetal serum, newborn serum and maternal serum. During the last 6 days of gestation, 54% ± 2% (mean ± S.E.M.) of the amniotic fluid alpha‐fetoprotein does not react with concanavalin A. At 17 days gestation, 54% ± 4% of the fetal serum alpha‐fetoprotein does not react with concanavalin A. Between 18 and 21 days gestation the percentage of the concanavalin A‐nonreactive molecular variant of fetal serum alpha‐fetoprotein decreases to 43% and remains at 43% ± 0.4% through the 28‐day newborn period studied. Following day 18 of gestation the proportions of the alpha‐fetoprotein concanavalin A‐affinity molecular variants in serum and in amniotic fluid are different (p<0.001). On day 21 of gestation, 41% of the alpha‐fetoprotein present in maternal serum does not react with concanavalin A. These results suggest that during late gestation yolk sac and fetal liver synthesize different patterns of alpha‐fetoprotein concanavalin A‐affinity molecular variants and that on day 21 of gestation the major portion of the maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein is derived from fetal serum.