Hair Protein Polymorphism and Its Application to Forensic Science Hair Comparison.
Hair protein is keratin, a hard protein which is naturally insoluble and resistant to attack by proteolytic enzymes. Keratin exhibits a lot of heterogeneity when it is reduced at the disulfide cross linkages. This nature of heterogeneity can provide forensic scientists who are engaged in hair comparison with information concerning species identification as well as individual discrimination. In this review the hair protein variation based on genetic or acquired origin are discussed critically with special reference to forensic hair comparison.
National Research Institute of Police Science, Sanban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
B
B
Miyake
Forensic hair comparison; electrophoresis; high-sulfur protein; low-sulfur protein; polymorphism; solubilized hair protein