In vitro growth and chromosome constitution of placental cells. II. Hydatidiform moles.

Histopathological features, in vitro growth, and cytogenetic characteristics of tissue samples from molar placentae were studied. Tissue from complete moles is often degenerate, making them more difficult to establish in culture. However, if viable stromal cells are present, complete moles can be cultured as easily as other placental tissue. Longitudinal cytogenetic studies of molar cultures showed the emergence of clonal chromosome abnormalities to be a common feature in both complete and partial moles. The distribution of chromosome abnormalities among these clones was nonrandom, with a high proportion having an additional chromosome 20; among the complete moles, 9 of the 14 clones studied were trisomic for chromosome 20.