Karyology of primary human fetal cell cultures

Cell cultures were established from the biopsies of lung, skin and kidney from each of nine human fetuses, and chromosome analyses were performed on material through the fifth subculture. Kidney cell cultures generally showed a higher level of polyploidy than lung or skin. The frequencies of hyperdiploid cells and those with structural abnormalities were consistent with the low levels found in cultures of human lymphocytes. The data provide a normal cytogenetic baseline for human fetal material which may be useful in a variety of studies.