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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

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Isolation of Primary Mouse Trophoblast Cells and Trophoblast Invasion Assay
Published on: January 8, 2012
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Tricky TRIC: A replication study using trophoblast retrieval and isolation from the cervix to study genetic birth
Marie van Dijk1,2, Souad Boussata1,2, Dianta Janssen1,2
1Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Prenatal Diagnosis
|November 7, 2022
Summary
Researchers replicated the Trophoblast Retrieval and Isolation from the Cervix (TRIC) method for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. While successful, the low fetal DNA yield indicates it is not yet suitable for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD) is advancing for monogenic disorders.
- Most NIPD still requires invasive fetal material collection.
- The TRIC technique offers potential for noninvasive fetal cell retrieval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate the TRIC (Trophoblast Retrieval and Isolation from the Cervix) protocol.
- To assess the feasibility of TRIC for obtaining fetal DNA.
- To evaluate TRIC's potential for prenatal genetic testing.
Main Methods:
- Endocervical samples collected from pregnant women prior to chorionic villous sampling (CVS).
- Trophoblast DNA isolated from TRIC samples.
- Fetal DNA fraction quantified using ForenSeq and Sanger sequencing.
Main Results:
- Successful replication of the TRIC protocol was achieved.
- Fetal DNA fractions suitable for genetic testing were found in 23%-44% of samples.
- The success rate was lower than initially reported.
Conclusions:
- The TRIC method can be replicated, but with reduced efficiency.
- Current limitations in fetal DNA yield make TRIC inadvisable for routine prenatal diagnostics.
- Further optimization is needed for clinical application of TRIC.

