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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Transfus Med Rev. 2012 Oct 24;27(1):10–20. doi: 10.1016/j.tmrv.2012.08.002

Table 1.

Techniques for detection of microchimerism

Technique Brief Description Advantages Disadvantages

  • Physical sorting techniques e.g.

    FACS*

    MACS*

  • Flow sorting

 Identification of minor population using the Y-chromosome

  • Ease of use

  • Older technique used for detection of FM-MC

  • Low sensitivity

  • Restricted to detection of single male population (FM-MC) if using a Y-chromosome based probe
FISH* In-situ hybridization using a labeled probe e.g. against Y-chromosome Visual representation

  • Low sensitivity

  • Y-chromosome based probes limit detection to single male target
PCR Amplification of minor population e.g. using a Y-chromosome based probe Use in both FM-MC and TA-MC

  • Limited to male target (FM-MC or TA-MC)

  • Can’t discriminate multiple blood donors

  • Not quantitative
Real Time-PCR using HLA-DR Quantitative amplification of HLA-DR loci Used for both TA-MC and FM-MC Can under-represent MC
Real Time-PCR using both HLA-DR and InDel probes Quantitative amplification of multiple loci (HLA and non-HLA targets)

  • TA-MC and FM-MC technology higher sensitivity that HLA-DR alone

  • Sensitive and specific

 May under-represent MC
*

Abbreviations

MACS: magnetic-activated cell sorting

FACS: fluorescence-activated cell sorting

FISH: Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization