Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
A Protocol to Evaluate and Quantify Retinal Pigmented Epithelium Pathologies in Mouse Models of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: March 10, 2023
[DNA degradation of porcine retinal cells for estimation of postmortem interval]
Chao Fang1, Xiao-hong Lin, Hua-lan Jing
1Department of Forensic Pathology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China. fch76@126.com
Objective:
To investigate DNA degradation of porcine retinal cells by single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) for estimation of postmortem interval (PMI).
Methods:
Degradation of retinal cells was observed by SCGE at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24h after death respectively, under the environmental conditions of being kept in dark place as well as a controlled temperature of (15 +/- 2) degrees C and humidity of (50 +/- 5)%. The comet pictures were captured by fluorescence microscope and analyzed by single cell gel electrophoresis (IMI 1.0).
Results:
From 2h to 24h postmortem, the degree of degradation of retinal DNA increased with the prolongation of PMI. The postmortem regression functions of head DNA%, L(T)/L(H), I(T)/I(H) were y = 92.227-5.188 x + 0.019 x2 + 0.001 x3 (R2 = 0.971), y = 0.035e(0.191x) (R2 = 0.947), y = 0.099e(0.264x) (R2 = 0.955), respectively.
Conclusion:
The examination of retinal cell DNA degradation by SCGE is useful for estimating PMI.
