1. Forensic Serology Blood, Semen, vaginal fluid, and saliva

2. Composition of Blood 4 Components Red Blood Cells White Blood Cells Plasma Platelets

3. Composition of Blood Plasma Liquid (90% water) Approximately 55% of whole blood Straw colored and sticky

4. Cells Erythrocytes Erythro = red Leukocytes Leuko = white Platelets

5. RBC: Erythrocytes No nucleus Transport oxygen via hemoglobin (bonded to Fe) Made in the red bone marrow (2 million/ sec) Live 100 – 120 days

6. Blood Types ABO system A B AB O

7. Antigen is the protein ON the cell membrane Antibody is the protein in the blood stream that fights off foreign proteins

8. Type A Type is based on antigen proteins around the RBC A A A A A A A A A A A Anti-B Anti-B Anti-B

9. Type B B B B B B B B B B B Anti-A Anti-A Anti-A

10. Type AB A A B A A B B A A A B A B Universal recipient : no antibodies

11. Type O Anti-A Anti-B Anti-A Universal donor: no antigens

12. Basic genetics Get one gene from each parent: (A and B are co-dominant) A from mom + A from dad  AA A from mom + B from dad  AB A from mom + O from dad  AO Type is O is recessive and only is present if two O alleles are present.

13. Meet Junior: His blood type is O.

14. Mom has blood type A.

15. Whose your Daddy? Is it Bernie? (type B)

16. Big Bob (type AB)

17. Bruce (type O)

18. Bernie could be the father: B O A AB AO O BO OO

19. Bruce could be the father: O O A AO AO O OO OO

20. Big Bob cannot be the father: A B A AA AB ? A? ?B

24. Rh proteins Discovered in rhesus monkey blood (Rh) If you have the protein + If not, -

26. Blood Typing Blood typing is done by reacting whole blood with antibody A and antibody B Antibody A will cause A and AB blood to clot Antibody B will cause B and AB blood to clot Type O blood contains not antigens so will not clot

27. Methods of identifying bodily fluids

28. Presumptive Tests Various Types -Luminol, Kastle-Meyer, Precipitin, LMG Test are quickly done in the field to identify possible blood specimens. Need to be followed up by a confirmatory test in the lab

29. Luminol – Glows when mixed with blood -Can detect blood stains diluted up to 300,000x

30. Precipitin test Once blood has been identified Test which determines whether blood is human or not - Like immunoassay for drugs except for human blood PhTh test is the best single test, based on its sensitivity of 1:10,000

31. LMG Test is more commonly used by agencies such as the FBI. Kastle-Meyer test ( Mixture of blood stain, phenolphthalein & hydrogen peroxide) -Turns a bright PINK COLOR * Potatoes /horseradish +

32. Testing for semen samples Acid phosphatase test – Enzyme found in seminal fluid – Moist filter paper is rubbed over garment and treated with reagents Purple color means positive for semen PSA –(prostate specific antigen test) – ID protein found only in seminal plasma

33. Secretors vs. Nonsecretors Secretors have A and B antigens in non-blood fluid – 80% of population Nonsecretors don’t have blood type antigens in saliva, semen, etc. – Remaining 20% of population