PMID- 9544538
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 19980507
LR  - 20101118
IS  - 0022-1198 (Print)
IS  - 0022-1198 (Linking)
VI  - 43
IP  - 2
DP  - 1998 Mar
TI  - Evaluation of the human hair root for DNA typing subsequent to microscopic 
      comparison.
PG  - 305-14
AB  - Telogen human hairs are one of the most common useful evidence findings at crime 
      scenes and/or on homicide victims. Occasionally, the microscopic characterization 
      of the found telogen hair is the only physical evidence association to a victim 
      or suspect. Recently efforts to characterize these hairs by mitochondrial DNA 
      (mtDNA) methods have progressed. The nature of the telogen hair root morphology 
      and ultrastructure has, however, been largely ignored. Examiners have recognized 
      these hairs are unlikely to be typable by nuclear DNA (nuDNA) methods. Most 
      forensic biologists have little knowledge of the complex cellular composition of 
      anagen, catagen, and telogen hair roots or their morphogenesis. This paper 
      reviews ex situ human hair root morphology as it relates to the likelihood of 
      successful nuclear DNA typing. Dermatology texts of hair root morphology always 
      demonstrate their microscopic appearance in the skin. This study investigates the 
      use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods to sex type telogen head 
      hairs, and it further investigates hair root morphology as it relates to the 
      potential nuclear DNA content of evidence hairs. There is a need for the use of 
      appropriate, consensus terminology for describing hair root morphology. There is 
      also a need for standardized laboratory light microscopic methods in evaluating a 
      hair root for DNA typing. FISH was found to be an unsuitable technique for sex 
      determination of telogen hair clubs. It was determined that anagen/catagen hair 
      roots without translucent sheath material are excellent candidates for nuDNA 
      PCR-based typing and that hairs with telogen club root material only should not 
      be submitted for nuDNA typing attempts.
FAU - Linch, C A
AU  - Linch CA
AD  - Criminal Investigation Laboratory, Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, 
      Dallas, TX, USA.
FAU - Smith, S L
AU  - Smith SL
FAU - Prahlow, J A
AU  - Prahlow JA
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - United States
TA  - J Forensic Sci
JT  - Journal of forensic sciences
JID - 0375370
RN  - 0 (HLA-DQ Antigens)
RN  - 9007-49-2 (DNA)
SB  - IM
MH  - DNA/*analysis
MH  - *DNA Fingerprinting
MH  - Forensic Medicine/*methods
MH  - Genotype
MH  - HLA-DQ Antigens/analysis
MH  - Hair Follicle/*chemistry/immunology/ultrastructure
MH  - Histocompatibility Testing
MH  - Humans
MH  - In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
MH  - Polymerase Chain Reaction
MH  - Sex Determination Processes
EDAT- 1998/04/17 00:00
MHDA- 1998/04/17 00:01
CRDT- 1998/04/17 00:00
PHST- 1998/04/17 00:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 1998/04/17 00:01 [medline]
PHST- 1998/04/17 00:00 [entrez]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Forensic Sci. 1998 Mar;43(2):305-14.