Daniel C Shoemaker

US Patent:

20100304978, Dec 2, 2010

Filed:

Jan 26, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/657723

Inventors:

David Xingfei Deng - Mountain View CA, US
Yun Bao - Fremont CA, US
Daniel Shoemaker - San Diego CA, US
David L. Robbins - Temecula CA, US

International Classification:

C40B 30/00
C12Q 1/68

US Classification:

506 7, 435 6

Abstract:

The present invention provides methods and compositions for specifically identifying a fetal cell. An initial screening of approximately 400 candidate genes by digital PCR in different fetal and adult tissues identified a subset of 24 gene markers specific for fetal nucleated RBC and trophoblasts. The specific expression of those genes was further evaluated and verified in more defined tissues and isolated cells through quantitative RT-PCR using custom Taqman probes specific for each gene. A subset of fetal cell specific markers (FCM) was tested and validated by RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in blood samples from non-pregnant women, and pre-termination and post-termination pregnant women. Applications of these gene markers include, but are not limited to, distinguishing a fetal cell from a maternal cell for fetal cell identification and genetic diagnosis, identifying circulating fetal cell types in maternal blood, purifying or enriching one or more fetal cells, and enumerating one or more fetal cells during fetal cell enrichment.