Isolation and individualization of conceptus and maternal tissues from abortions and placentas for parentage testing in cases of rape and abandoned newborns.
Abortion specimens are often submitted to forensic laboratories as the only piece of physical evidence in rape and incest cases. The recovery of conceptus tissues from this evidence permits the use of paternity testing to evaluate suspects. In cases of abandoned newborns, the recovery of maternal tissue from the placenta allows for the direct comparison of genetic profiles between the suspected mother and the biological mother. We report on the identification and isolation of conceptus tissues from embryonic- and fetal-period abortions, and maternal tissues from delivered placentas, by gross and low-magnification examination with manual dissection. Hundreds of single-source samples have been successfully recovered by this method and short tandem repeat typed using standard forensic procedures. We additionally describe extraembryonic tissues that can be recovered and typed in the absence of the embryo proper. We conclude that an expertise and protocols can be developed by forensic laboratories for the routine analysis of this evidence.
Johnson
Donald J
DJ
School of Criminal Justice and Criminalistics, California State University at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90032-8163, USA. djohnso5@exchange.calstatela.edu
Matthies
Learden K
LK
Roberts
Katherine A
KA
Yorker
Beatrice Crofts
BC
D037881:Aborted Fetus / Q000473:pathology*; D019548:Crime Victims; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D010334:Paternity; D010920:Placenta / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011902:Rape; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000473:pathology
D004247:DNA