A Precipitin-lnhibition Test on Denatured Bloodstains for the Determination of Human Origin

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Abstract
Since the initial discovery of precipitating antibodies by Kraus in 1897 [1] and the demonstration of the precipitin reaction with human blood in vitro by Uhlenhuth in 1901 [2], this reaction has become one of the essential tools of the forensic immunologist. Oudin's tube technique (single diffusion in one dimension) [3], Petrie's plate method (single radial diffusion) [4], Oakley's method of double diffusion in one dimension [5], Ouchterlony's immunodiffusion (double diffusion in two dimensions) [6], or Culliford's crossed-over electrophoresis [7] have been the generally accepted methods for the determination of the species origin of bloodstains. Recently, sensitized latex particles have been used with precipitin sera for the identification of the species of origin of bloodstains [8]. The basic principle of these methods is to bring the bloodstain extract into close-reacting contact with a suitable antiserum. The success of the reaction usually depends on the quality of the antiserum and the presence of soluble precipitin antigens in the bloodstain extract.