Function Follows Form: Gene Expression and Prenatal Screening

Diana W Bianchi

doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2021.06.001

Function Follows Form: Gene Expression and Prenatal Screening

Trends Mol Med. 2021 Aug;27(8):725-727. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2021.06.001. Epub 2021 Jun 23.

Author

Diana W Bianchi¹

Affiliation

¹ Office of the Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: Diana.Bianchi@nih.gov.

Abstract

To date, prenatal testing has relied on imaging to determine fetal 'form' (anatomy). 'Function', as ascertained by measuring fetal or placental mRNA transcripts in maternal blood, has the potential to more precisely determine which pregnancies need closer monitoring and which babies should be delivered in special care settings.

Keywords: cell-free RNA; fetus; gene expression; noninvasive; prenatal diagnosis.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
Review

MeSH terms

Biomarkers*
Cell-Free Nucleic Acids
Embryonic Development / genetics*
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
Humans
Liquid Biopsy / methods
Placenta
Pregnancy
Prenatal Diagnosis* / methods

Substances

Biomarkers
Cell-Free Nucleic Acids

Grants and funding

ZIA HG200400/ImNIH/Intramural NIH HHS/United States