Potential definition of the time of death from autolytic myocardial cells: a morphometric study.
Forensic Sci Int
; 104(2-3): 81-9, 1999 Oct 11.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-10581715
ABSTRACT
Morphometric methods and transmission electron microscopy were used to quantify modifications occurring in the mitochondria of dog myocardium during the first four hours of autolysis. Myocardial fragments were obtained from the outer free wall of the left ventricle, during anesthesia (control-zero) and at 15, 45, 120, and 240 min after cardiac arrest, maintaining the heart "in situ" at 22 degrees C. During the 240 min of autolysis, the main parameters evaluated showed (a) a decrease in the number of mitochondria from 0.31 to 0.12 per micron 3 of cytoplasm. The decrease over the first 45 min reached 50% of the initial value; (b) an increase in mitochondrial volume, three times greater after the first 45 min (from 0.92 to 2.68 micron 3) and four times greater after 240 min (from 0.92 to 3.79 micron 3); (c) an increase in mitochondrial outer membrane surface area from 5.51 to 12.54 micron 2; (d) an increase in the surface area of individual mitochondria inner membrane and cristae from 27.60 to 56.96 micron 2. The progressive nature of the alterations and the difference in the numerically expressed values allow correlation with the time of somatic death. The authors emphasize the need for further studies in order to complement the present study.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Postmortem Changes
/
Autolysis
/
Mitochondria, Heart
/
Myocardium
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Forensic Sci Int
Year:
1999
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil