Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Postmortem genetic testing in sudden death: clinical and medico-legal implications.

International journal of legal medicine·2026

Same author

Proteomics in Cardiovascular Deaths, a Postmortem Pilot Study: The Diagnostic Efficacy of α-1 Antitrypsin and Apolipoprotein A-IV in Ischemic and Congestive Deaths.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same author

Cyber-Sexual Crime and Social Inequality: Exploring Socioeconomic and Technological Determinants.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

Disproportionate Cybersexual Victimization of Women from Adolescence into Midlife in Spain: Implications for Targeted Protection and Prevention.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)·2025

Same author

Postmortem study of adrenomedullin and cortisol in femoral serum and pericardial fluid related to acute pulmonary edema.

International journal of legal medicine·2024

Same author

Structural changes in the crystalline lens as a function of the postmortem interval assessed with two-photon imaging microscopy.

Biomedical optics express·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Published on: May 26, 2023

Morphological and histological changes in eye lens: Possible application for estimating postmortem interval.

Gemma Prieto-Bonete¹, Maria D Perez-Carceles¹, Aurelio Luna¹

¹Department of Legal and Forensic Medicine, Biomedical Research Institute (IMIB-Arrixaca), Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, Spain.

Legal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)

|November 24, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Forensic Science uses rabbit lenses to estimate time since death. Changes in lens shape and light absorption can determine the postmortem interval between 24 and 96 hours.

Keywords:

Corneal transparency Eye lens Histology Postmortem interval Proteins

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: In-Depth Morphometric Examination and Quantification of Native Lens Structure Using Whole Mount Imaging

Author Spotlight: In-Depth Morphometric Examination and Quantification of Native Lens Structure Using Whole Mount Imaging

Published on: January 19, 2024

Assessment of Zebrafish Lens Nucleus Localization and Sutural Integrity

Assessment of Zebrafish Lens Nucleus Localization and Sutural Integrity

Published on: May 6, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Published on: May 26, 2023

Author Spotlight: In-Depth Morphometric Examination and Quantification of Native Lens Structure Using Whole Mount Imaging

Author Spotlight: In-Depth Morphometric Examination and Quantification of Native Lens Structure Using Whole Mount Imaging

Published on: January 19, 2024

Assessment of Zebrafish Lens Nucleus Localization and Sutural Integrity

Assessment of Zebrafish Lens Nucleus Localization and Sutural Integrity

Published on: May 6, 2019

Area of Science:

Forensic Science
Ophthalmology
Biochemistry

Background:

Establishing the postmortem interval is crucial in forensic investigations.
Current ocular methods often focus on vitreous humor biochemistry, with limited research on the lens.
The lens's protected location suggests potentially later postmortem changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential of the rabbit lens for determining the postmortem interval.
To assess changes in lens sphericity, absorbance, and histology over time after death.

Main Methods:

Examination of 80 rabbit lenses at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours postmortem.
Measurement of lens sphericity and absorbance at various wavelengths.
Histological analysis of lens structure and organization.

Main Results:

A statistically significant decrease in lens sphericity and absorbance was observed.
Gradual degradation of lens component structure and organization correlated with the postmortem interval.
Lens modifications proved useful for estimating the postmortem interval from 24 to 96 hours.

Conclusions:

Rabbit lens changes, including sphericity and absorbance, are reliable indicators for postmortem interval estimation.
The lens offers a viable alternative or complementary method to existing techniques for determining time since death.
Further research could validate these findings in human lenses for forensic applications.