| alpha-fetoproteins | Increases in maternal blood during pregnancy and, when detected by amniocentesis, is an important indicator of open neural tube defects and is also used as a tumour marker in adults with hepatocellular carcinoma, beta-fetoproteins, although a foetal liver protein, has been detected in adult patients with liver disease, gamma-fetoproteins occurs in various neoplasms. See: fetoglobulins. (05 Mar 2000) |
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