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Learning Objectives
Explain blood biochemistry and blood typing
Conduct blood spatter analysis to find the
source of blood and reconstruct past events
Identify the various blood spatter patterns
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3
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Describe the methods used in the
identification and individualisation of blood
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Blood
Fresh
Old & dried
Obvious
Obvious?
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Whose blood is it?
Show up invisible stains Is it blood?
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3
Is it human blood?
Can we use blood spatter
patterns to reconstruct events?
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Blood
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Blood Composition
Fresh frozen
blood plasma
Fluid portion of blood
55% by weight
Transport system
8% of body weight
Blood plasma
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Blood Composition
Left to right: erythrocyte,
thrombocyte, leukocyte
Blood cells
Oxygen transport
Red blood cells / erythrocytes
8% of body weight
Blood plasma
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Blood Composition
Left to right: erythrocyte,
thrombocyte, leukocyte
White blood cells / leukocytes
Immune response
Blood cells
Red blood cells / erythrocytes
8% of body weight
Blood plasma
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Blood Composition
Left to right: erythrocyte,
thrombocyte, leukocyte
Clotting response
Platelets / thrombocytes
White blood cells / leukocytes
Blood cells
Red blood cells / erythrocytes
8% of body weight
Blood plasma
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Erythrocytes
7.8 microns in diameter
No nucleus
Biconcave
No DNA
Red blood cell
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Erythrocytes
Principle function
4 oxygen molecules
on each protein
Oxygen transport
Red blood cell
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Antigens
Proteins on surface of red blood cells
Over 100 rare antigens
30 commonly occurring antigens
Responsible for blood typing
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Blood transfusion
Must be given blood of the right type
Early days Some people fine after
a blood transfusion
Some people fell ill or died
after a blood transfusion
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Karl Landsteiner
Karl Landsteiner
Developed the A-B-O
blood typing system
Won the 1930 Nobel
Prize in Medicine
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A-B-O Blood Types
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A-B-O Blood Types
Occurrence of blood types vary
Blood Type Percentage (%)
O 40
A 25
B 30
AB 5
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Blood Types & Personality
No
Is your blood type
the key to true love?
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Blood Types & Personality
I am type B and
have the tendency
to be simplistic and
straightforward at
times.
- Ryu Matsumoto
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Antibodies
20% of blood
plasma volume
Immunoglobins
Produced as part of
immune response
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Antibodies
Antigen binding sites
Bind to alien objects
Extremely specific
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Serum Antibodies
Antibodies corresponding to surface antigens
Anti-A antibodies
Anti-B antibodies
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A-B-O Blood Types
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Blood typing system
Many different antigens
A-B-O system based on A and B antigens
Less common antigens
D antigen / rhesus antigens
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Rhesus antigens
Rhesus
positive
With D antigen Without D antigen
Rhesus
negative
85% of population 15% of population
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Blood Type Distribution in Singapore
Blood Type Percentage (%)
O+ 34
O- 6
A+ 21
A- 4
B+ 25.5
B- 4.5
AB+ 4
AB- 1
Want to individualise
evidence
Blood types are
not individualised
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Bio-Identification
Individualisation of blood type?
More complex blood typing
Inferior to DNA fingerprinting
Blood sample Individualise it
Extensive research before 1990
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Bio-Identification
Cannot be used to prove guilt
Can be used to establish innocence
Blood type not individualised
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Bio-Identification
Crime scene Type A blood found
Established innocence
Suspect is type B blood
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Bio-Identification
Does not prove guilt
Suspect is type A blood
Require further evidence
Crime scene Type A blood found
Suspect is type B blood