DNA identification of sperm cells collected and sorted by flow cytometry.
In cases of rape, obtaining enough biologic material for DNA identification of the attacker is often difficult because the methods for distinguishing and separating sperm cells from vaginal cells are not sufficiently efficacious. This article describes a new, innovative method for spermatic DNA extraction from the vaginal washing fluid by means of flow cytometry. The high specificity and sensitivity of the flow-cytometric sorting method provides enough sperm cells for DNA typing. The ease of execution of this method, involving vaginal washing with physiologic solution and flow-cytometric reading of the fresh sample, substantially increases its cost-benefit ratio.
Di Nunno
Nunzio
N
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Medicina Pubblica, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare n. 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. forem@medicinalegale.uniba.it
Melato
Mauro
M
Vimercati
Antonella
A
Di Nunno
Cosimo
C
Costantinides
Fulvio
F
Vecchiotti
Carla
C
Frezzini
Cristina
C
Cina
Steven
S
Vimercati
Francesco
F
D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006238:Haploidy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011902:Rape; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences; D044364:Vaginal Douching
D004247:DNA