ISSN: 0022-1198
Page Count: 3

Differences in Osteon Banding Between Human and Nonhuman Bone
Ubelaker, DH
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, DC

Mulhern, DM
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, DC

(Received 24 March 2000; accepted 5 May 2000)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to compare patterns of osteon organization in human and nonhuman bone. A linear organization of Haversian systems in nonhuman bone, where osteons line up in rows, has been reported but has not been quantified. The present research provides a quantitative examination of this observation through a comparative analysis of the femoral midshaft from human and nonhuman bone. Femoral midshaft thin sections from 60 humans were compared to femoral midshaft sections from nine sheep and six miniature swine. The presence or absence of osteon banding was recorded and, if present, described. Results indicate that 2 out of 60 human sections and 5 out of 15 nonhuman sections exhibit osteon banding (x² = 9.46; p < 0.01). Further, the type of banding present in the human and nonhuman samples is easily distinguished, indicating that human and nonhuman bone can be distinguished where banding is present in this study.

Keywords:
forensic science, forensic anthropology, histology, bone, Haversian system

Paper ID: JFS14952J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14952J
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