Bonte W, Bleifuss J, Volck J. Experimental investigations in post-mortem protein degradation.
FORENSIC SCIENCE 1976;
7:9-22. [PMID:
57912 DOI:
10.1016/0300-9432(76)90003-0]
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Abstract
Samples of thoracic fluid were obtained at regular intervals from the putrefying bodies of dead dogs. For quantitative estimation of the proteins two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis was employed and for the amino acids and amines two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography. The results lead to speculation that the initially lagging proteolytic changes are due to catalysis of autoenzymes, whereas bacteriological processes are responsible for a distinct acceleration from the 20th day after death. At this time the amino-acid concentrations showed a marked increase, which is followed by a maximum of bacterial growth, that ultimately leads to a sudden regression of amino acids. Simultaneously amines appear. The drying up of the thoracic cavity after 35 to 45 days marks the change from liquefaction to the terminal decay.
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