[The diagnostic significance of the epidermal scales left on the material objects]

The objective of the present cytological study was to elucidate the possibility of examining epidermal scales (ES) for the purpose of forensic medical expertise of material evidence. It was demonstrated that epidermal scales readily removable and constantly detached from the skin during the process of desquamation may remain on the instruments of injury and other objects even after their short-term contact with the human body or as a result of touching these objects with the hands. The epidermal scales were shown to express readily detectable AB0 antigens which makes it possible to determine the identify of the subject to whom they belonged. It is concluded that cytological studies designed to detect and identify the source of ES may be helpful for the examination of the fingernail scrapings from both the victims and the suspected offenders, instruments of injury, cigarette stubs (especially when these objects do not exhibit the traces of saliva), and the condoms containing no sperm.