title: [Application of nucleic acids and proteins in estimation of postmortem interval].
abstract: Accurate estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is one of the most important and difficult issues in forensic medicine. After death, the tissues autolyze and biomacromolecules degrade. DNA concentration decreases gradually with linear relationship with PMI. The housekeeping gene mRNA, for example beta-actin, GAPDH, has certain stability and can be used to PMI estimation as internal standard. This paper reviews the research progress and problems about DNA, RNA and proteins in the estimation of PMI in order to provide guidance for forensic pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. 082101058@fudan.edu.cn
authors.forename: Wen-can
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA