DNA FINGERPRINTING FROM TISSUES AFTER VARIABLE POSTMORTEM PERIODS

• NCJ Number: 142996
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 3 Dated: (May 1993) Pages: 686-690
• Author(s): B Ludes; H Pfitzinger; P Mangin
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

For DNA fingerprinting to be used successfully in identifying human remains after various postmortem periods of time, high molecular weight DNA (HMWDNA) must be extracted from the body's tissue samples.

Abstract

Tissue samples were collected from skeletal muscle, heart, blood, lymph nodes, spleen, kidney, liver, and brain, extracted during forensic autopsies from 24 bodies of known postmortem ages ranging from one day to one month. The results showed that tissues which degrade quickly, including blood and kidney, were unsuitable for DNA fingerprinting. However, HMWDNA could be extracted successfully from the brain cortex regardless of postmortem age (at least up to 85 days). 1 table and 7 references