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Science 12 November 1971:
Vol. 174. no. 4010, pp. 698 - 702
DOI: 10.1126/science.174.4010.698
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Articles

Adult Hemoglobin Synthesis by Reticulocytes from the Human Fetus at Midtrimester

Morley D. Hollenberg 1, Michael M. Kaback 1, and Haig H. Kazazian Jr. 1

1 Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Harriet Lane Service of Johns Hopkins Children's Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21205

The synthesis of adult-type hemoglobin was measured in small samples of peripheral blood cells from 9- to 18-week human fetuses. Hemoglobin indistinguishable from hemoglobin A was identified by ion-exchange chromatography, electrophoresis at pH 8.6, tryptic peptide analysis, and the insensitivity of its synthesis to the action of O-methylthreonine. Synthesis of hemoglobin A accounted for 8 to 14 percent of total hemoglobin synthesis and was demonstrated in as little as 10 microliters of fetal blood. These studies provide sensitive methods for the detection of beta chain types in hemoglobin synthesized by the human fetus at midtrimester. If methods to obtain small quantities of fetal blood at midtrimester become available, these techniques should be applicable to the antenatal detection of sickle cell anemia and related hemoglobinopathies.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Hydrops Fetalis Caused by alpha -Thalassemia: An Emerging Health Care Problem.
D. H.K. Chui and J. S. Waye (1998)
Blood 91, 2213-2222
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)