TEMPORAL COURSE OF INTRAVITAL AND POSTMORTEM PROLIFERATION OF EPIDERMAL-CELLS AFTER MECHANICAL INJURY - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY USING BROMODEOXYURIDINE IN RATS

The temporal course of epidermal basal cell proliferation in the wound of the pinna of rats was studied using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) immun ohistochemistry. Following incisional wounding, the animals were sacri ficed at intervals ranging from 0 hours to 32 days. Two biopsies were taken from each animal, one intravitally and one postmortem after 24 h ours storage at 8 degrees C. Specimens were incubated in a solution co ntaining BrdU and embedded in paraffin. BrdU expression was demonstrat ed by a monoclonal antibody against BrdU. In both intravital and postm ortem biopsies, the labelling indices increased significantly in the p eriod from 32 to 60 hours post-injury. This suggests that DNS synthesi s induced during life continues after death. Applied to forensic pract ice, the present findings point to the possibility of determining the vitality of a wound in postmortem tissue.