Biomaterial Database

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations in amniotic fluid and maternal urine during pregnancy. 1990

G E Hofmann, and J S Abramowicz

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was measured in amniotic fluid and maternal urine from women undergoing amniocentesis for genetic studies (15-22 weeks' gestation, n = 36) and lung maturational studies (35-39 weeks' gestation, n = 20). Amniotic fluid EGF concentrations (mean +/- SD) were higher near term (87 +/- 71 pM) than mid-gestation (35 +/- 8 pM) (p less than 0.0001). Urinary EGF concentrations were higher near mid-gestation (53.9 +/- 30.8 micrograms EGF/g creatinine) than near term (33.4 +/- 14.1 micrograms EGF/g creatinine) (p less than 0.006). There was no correlation between individual amniotic fluid and urinary EGF concentrations. The amniotic fluid EGF concentrations correlated with gestational age. However, there was no relationship between EGF concentrations and pulmonary maturity studies or placental weight from the pregnancies studied near term. We conclude that the concentration of EGF in amniotic fluid increases towards term. The lack of correlation between amniotic fluid and maternal urinary EGF concentrations suggests that there probably is a different source of EGF in the two compartments and that EGF does not cross the placenta to any great extent.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D004815	Epidermal Growth Factor	A 6-kDa polypeptide growth factor initially discovered in mouse submaxillary glands. Human epidermal growth factor was originally isolated from urine based on its ability to inhibit gastric secretion and called urogastrone. Epidermal growth factor exerts a wide variety of biological effects including the promotion of proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal and EPITHELIAL CELLS. It is synthesized as a transmembrane protein which can be cleaved to release a soluble active form.	EGF,Epidermal Growth Factor-Urogastrone,Urogastrone,Human Urinary Gastric Inhibitor,beta-Urogastrone,Growth Factor, Epidermal,Growth Factor-Urogastrone, Epidermal,beta Urogastrone
D005260	Female		Females
D005865	Gestational Age	The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination.	Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000649	Amniocentesis	Percutaneous transabdominal puncture of the uterus during pregnancy to obtain amniotic fluid. It is commonly used for fetal karyotype determination in order to diagnose abnormal fetal conditions.	Amniocenteses
D000653	Amniotic Fluid	A clear, yellowish liquid that envelopes the FETUS inside the sac of AMNION. In the first trimester, it is likely a transudate of maternal or fetal plasma. In the second trimester, amniotic fluid derives primarily from fetal lung and kidney. Cells or substances in this fluid can be removed for prenatal diagnostic tests (AMNIOCENTESIS).	Amniotic Fluid Index,Amniotic Fluid Indices,Amniotic Fluids,Fluid Index, Amniotic,Fluid Indices, Amniotic,Fluid, Amniotic,Fluids, Amniotic,Index, Amniotic Fluid,Indices, Amniotic Fluid