FETUS IN FETU - MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF A FETIFORM MASS

Fetus-in-fetu is a rare condition presenting as a calcified intra-abdo minal mass in the newborn infant. Over 50 cases of fetus-in-fetu have been reported since 1800. Karyotype analysis in 8 cases and protein po lymorphisms in 4 documented identical findings in the host and fetifor m mass. We report a case of fetus-in-fetu in a newborn female includin g cytogenetic and molecular studies of both the host and mass. Genotyp ic information from 7 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays represent ing 4 chromosomes demonstrates heterozygous and identical alleles in t he infant and fetus-in-fetu at all loci studied. A review of the liter ature is provided including a discussion regarding the impact of molec ular data on present hypotheses of fetus-in-fetu pathogenesis. (C) 199 3 Wiley-Liss, Inc.