Abstract
Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. In this study, the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from 20 exhumed individuals of known period of burial and age at death is described. TMA allows multiplexing of subsamples, permitting standardized comparative analysis of adjacent sections in 3-D and of representative cross-sections of a large number of specimens. Standard hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and silver methenamine, and picrosirius red staining, and CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry were applied to TMA sections. Osteocyte and osteocyte lacuna counts, percent bone matrix loss, and fungal spheroid element counts could be measured and collagen fibre bundles observed in all specimens. Decalcification with 7% nitric acid proceeded more rapidly than with 0.5 M EDTA and may offer better preservation of histological and cellular structure. No endothelial cells could be detected using CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry. Correlation between osteocytes per lacuna and age at death may reflect reported age-related responses to microdamage. Methodological limitations and caveats, and results of the TMA analysis of post mortem diagenesis in bone are discussed, and implications for DNA survival and recovery considered.
Highlights
Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations
This study describes the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to the investigation of post mortem diagenesis in exhumed human bone
Bone matrix loss and fungal spheroid element counts were measured in subsamples offering broad representation of the original tissue section and permitting direct quantification of bone matrix loss
Summary
Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. The application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from 20 exhumed individuals of known period of burial and age at death is described. TMA allows multiplexing of subsamples, permitting standardized comparative analysis of adjacent sections in 3-D and of representative cross-sections of a large number of specimens. Microbial attack in specific areas results focal microscopic destruction, during which collagen loss follows bone demineralization, leading to reduction in bone strength[12]. The extent of these changes can vary dramatically depending on the time and conditions of burial. This study describes the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to the investigation of post mortem diagenesis in exhumed human bone. For example, slides are cut to a thickness of 5 μm and each of 40 sections is subsampled at the same point, there will be 200 μm between the first
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