Forensic value of the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra as the initial object for DNA identification

Abstract

© 2020, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Aim of this study is to evaluate the suitability of the fragments of the skeleton obtained from the burials from more than 50 years ago for identificational DNA-analysis. Anatomical and structural features of the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra are pre-sented, as well as the data of histological examination of the odontoid process and the body of the second cervical vertebra. We con-clude that odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra have practical significance as starting material for obtaining high-molec-ular DNA in identification cases of skeletal human remains.