Lysosomal hydrolase activity in chorionic villi and embryonic cells in culture

Fourteen lysosomal enzymes were compared in 20 cultured cell lines from chorionic biopsy and corresponding embryonic tissue after voluntary abortions. Enzymatic expression appears to be similar in cultured cells from both sources with some slightly higher levels for chorionic villi. We stress the importance of culturing chorionic villi especially in the case of enzymes (alpha-L-iduronidase) or diseases (I cell disease) whose expression is unusual in fresh trophoblast tissue.