Biomaterial Database

Determination of lamellar body phospholipids in amniotic fluid: a method to predict when the fetal lung becomes mature. 1986

A Beintema-Dubbeldam, and J Bennebroek Gravenhorst, and J Egberts

Lamellar body material was isolated by highspeed centrifugation from the amniotic fluids of 10 mildly diseased patients followed longitudinally and of 60 other women. Three stages of development were defined: (1) immature stage: the phospholipid concentration is less than 20 mumol/l and phosphatidylcholine (PC) is approximately 50%; (2) transitional stage: the phospholipid concentration is between 18 and 40 mumol/l, of which PC is approximately 75% and phosphatidylinositol (PI) 10%. Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) is absent or present at very low concentrations; (3) mature stage: the phospholipid concentration is above 40 mumol/l; its PC percentage is 75% or more. PG is present and the percentage of PI decreases. An increase in phospholipid concentration of 3.27 +/- (SD) 0.75 mumol/l/day was found during the transitional stage. The rate of increase enables us therefore to approximate the number of days that it will take before the fetal lung is mature.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D010743	Phospholipids	Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups, particularly those derived from either glycerol (phosphoglycerides see GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS) or sphingosine (SPHINGOLIPIDS). They are polar lipids that are of great importance for the structure and function of cell membranes and are the most abundant of membrane lipids, although not stored in large amounts in the system.	Phosphatides,Phospholipid
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
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