ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 October 1985
Page Count: 11

Secreted Blood Group Substances: Distributions in Semen and Stabilities in Dried Semen Stains
Baechtel, FS
Forensic science research group, Laboratory Division, FBI Academy, VA

(Received 18 July 1984; accepted 7 January 1984)

Abstract

A sensitive microplate hemagglutination-inhibition technique has been used to ascertain the distributions of secreted blood group substances (BGS) in a population of 176 semen specimens and to characterize the stability of these substances in dried semen stains. The BGS concentrations in semen were found to vary throughout a wide range of titer. Despite this latitude of variation, the titers for the component BGS within the blood groups could be described by a lognormal distribution function. Studies of a number of sequential semen specimens obtained from the same donors revealed that the intraindividual variation in BGS titers was much more limited than the interindividual BGS titers. Attempts to correlate variations in titers between A and H in Group A semen or B and H in Group B semen indicated that the levels of these component substances vary independently.

Studies of the stability of BGS in Groups A and O semen suggested that these substances were stable when the semen stains were stored at −20°C, 4°C, or at ambient laboratory temperature in a dry state. In contrast, stains stored at 37°C under hunmid conditions suffered a dramatic loss in BGS titer, with the half-life of the BGS being on the order of 30 days.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, genetic typing, semen, secreted blood group substances, microplate hemagglutination-inhibition test

Paper ID: JFS11053J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS11053J
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