FORENSIC SCIENCE
CHAPTER 6
FORENSIC SEROLOGY
“OUT DAMNED SPOT! OUT, I SAY. HERE’S THE SMELL OF BLOOD STILL, ALL THE PERFUMES OF ARABIA WILL NOT
SWEETEN THIS LITTLE HAND. OH, OH, OH!” ~WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S LADY MACBETH, IN MACBETH
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this chapter, students will be able to:
1. List the A-B-O antigens and antibodies found in the blood for each of the four blood types: A, B, AB, and
O
2. Explain why agglutination occurs
3. Explain how whole blood is typed
4. Describe test used to characterize a stain as blood
5. Explain the differences between monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies.
6. Explain the significance of the precipitin test to forensic serology
7. Define chromosome and gene
8. How is the Punnet Square used to determine the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring?
9. List the laboratory tests necessary to characterize seminal stains.
10. Explain how suspect stains are to be properly preserved for laboratory examination.
Chapter Outline:
FORENSIC SEROLOGY
I.
II.
III.
IV.
History
a. Karl Landsteiner
i. A-B-O system
ii. 1901
b. Rh factor
i. 1937
c. Other blood factors
d. DNA technology
What is Blood?
a. Mixture
i. Plasma
ii. Solids
b. Blood typing
Characterization of Bloodstains
a. Is it blood?
b. Is it human or animal?
c. Can we individualize?
i. Enzymes
Stain Patterns
a. 3 Main Categories
i. Passive
ii. Transfer
iii. Projected
1. Subcategories
b. “Other” Patterns
c. Direction of Travel
d. Angle of Impact
1
V.
VI.
e. Point /Area of Convergence
Heredity
a. Vocab
b. Punnet Square
Characterization of Semen
a. Locate Stain
b. Prove Idenitity
Vocabulary:
Acid phosphatase
Agglutination
Angle of impact
Antibody
Antigen
Antiserum
Area of Convergence
Aspermia
Castoff
Catalase
Clot
Direction of travel
Dominant
Electrophoresis
Enzyme
Erythrocyte
Expirated (exhaled)
Genotype
Hemoglobin
High velocity impact spatter
(HVIS)
Heterozygous
Homozygous
Iso-enzymes
Leukocyte
Low velocity impact spatter
(LVIS)
Medium velocity impact
spatter (MVIS)
Misting
Oligospermia
Passive
Phenotype
Plasma
Point of convergence
Polymorphic
Precipitin test
Projected
Recessive
Satellite spatter (secondary)
Serology
Serum
Thrombocyte
Transfer
Void
Tentative Schedule:
Day 1: Experiment: Microscopic Analysis of Blood: Human vs. Animal
Day 2: Notes: History and the Nature of Blood, Blood Typing
Day 3: Experiment: ABO/Rh Blood Typing Intro Activity
Day 4: Notes: Is It Blood?
Day 5: Experiment: Blood Analysis: Catalase/Kastle Meyer/Luminol
Day 6: Notes – Is it Human or Animal?
Day 7-8: Notes – Bloodstain Patterns
Day 9-10: Experiment: Vertical Drip of Blood on Various Surfaces
Day 11: Notes – Direction of Travel, Angles of Impact
Day 12-13: Experiment: Determination of Blood Spatter Angles of Impact
Day 14: Notes – Blood Origin
Day 15: Experiment: Determining the Origin of Blood Spatters
Day 16: Experiment: Virtual Lab – Bloodstain Pattern; Using Impact angles and area of convergence
Day 17: Notes – Heredity, Punnett Squares; Semen
Day 18: Review
Day 19: Chapter 6 Test
Assignments – due day of test!!:
1. Vocabulary words
2. p.377 #1-28, 34-50
3. Lab Experiments – due as specified
2