KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Kansas City, Missouri, has launched a probe into the marketing of fetal tissue, an FBI spokesman said on Friday.

``We are investigating possible criminal violations in the marketing of fetal tissue to determine if there is a violation of federal criminal law,'' FBI spokesman Jeff Lanza told Reuters.

He would not elaborate on the scope of the investigation or offer any further details.

On Thursday, members of a House Commerce subcommittee called on Attorney General Janet Reno to open an investigation into the selling of fetal tissue after a Kansas City-area pathologist was featured in an ABC News undercover report about the alleged selling of fetal body parts for profit.

The pathologist, Dr. Miles Jones, was recorded by a hidden camera discussing making thousands of dollars a week selling fetal parts.

Jones was subpoenaed to testify before the committee but did not appear and was held in contempt of Congress.

The Health and Environmental subcommittee is holding hearings to determine if laws restricting the methods and fees involved in fetal tissue harvesting are being broken.

Fetal tissue research is permitted because scientists believe it holds promise for treating a range of diseases. But its sale is strictly limited. Sellers only can recoup the cost of harvesting tissue and cannot turn a profit.

Because aborted fetuses are one source for the tissue, many fear selling of the tissue will encourage abortions.

A spokesman for the House committee said further doctors may be putting women's health at risk by changing abortion procedures to obtain better tissue.