ESTABLISHMENT OF A TISSUE-BANK FOR FETAL STEM-CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Study objective. To analyse the yield of fetal liver tissue in first trimester abortions and to evaluate the number of nucleated cells obtained from each fetal liver during the sixth to twelfth week of gestation. Design. Prospective descriptive study: Location, University Hospital. Material. Women seeking abortion during a 12 month period 1992/1993. Results. Out of 1271 women seeking abortion, 152 were asked whether they were willing to donate fetal tissue for fetal transplantation. Of these women, 105 (69%) accepted the proposal and underwent a modified low suction vacuum curettage. Fetal liver tissue was obtained in 61 (58%) of these procedures. The frequency at which tissue was retrieved was strongly related to gestational age and rose from 29% in week 6 to 79% in the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. The mean number of nucleated cells obtained from each fetal liver demonstrated a concomitant increase with gestational age, rising from 16 to 43 x 10(6) per liver during these weeks of gestation. Of the 61 cases in which fetal liver was obtained, four subjects were shown to be abnormal by laboratory analyses and 11 did not alter the mandatory follow-up appointment. This left 46 cases for use in the program of fetal to fetal transplantations. Conclusions. Most women seeking abortion seem to be in favor of the idea of fetal tissue donation for the treatment of other fetuses. The possibility of obtaining fetal liver tissue and the number of fetal stem cells retrieved are closely correlated to gestational age. A tissue bank appears to facilitate the operation of a fetal to fetal stem cell transplantation program.