Table 1 Histological changes in the human epidermis and dermis 32 days after death.
From: Histological changes in human skin 32 days after death and the potential forensic significance
PMI | Epidermal histology change | Dermis histology change |
|---|---|---|
0–18 h | No obvious change | No obvious change |
24 h | The cell layer occasionally showed nuclear pyknosis; no obvious changes were observed in the stratum corneum | No obvious change |
36 h | Scattered nuclear fragmentation is seen in the cell layer, showing nuclear pyknosis; the stratum corneum changes as above | No obvious change |
48 h | The cell layer occasionally shows nuclear lysis, local visible nuclear pyknosis, rare nuclear fragmentation; local swelling of the stratum corneum | No obvious change |
60 h | The cell layer occasionally shows nuclear lysis, local visible nuclear pyknosis, rare nuclear fragmentation; local swelling of the stratum corneum | No obvious change |
72 h | The cell layer shows less nuclear pyknosis, visible nuclear fragmentation, rare nuclear dissolution; stratum corneum swelling | There is a small amount of fibre swelling, and there is no obvious change in the whole |
84 h | The cell layer shows less nuclear pyknosis, visible nuclear fragmentation, rare nuclear dissolution; stratum corneum swelling | Visible fibre swelling, no significant change in the overall |
96 h | Cell layer cell gap widened; more nuclear pyknosis, nuclear fragmentation, nuclear dissolution; stratum corneum changes as above | Visible fibre swelling, no significant change overall |
6 d | Cell layer changes as above; the stratum corneum is swollen | Significant swelling of the fibres, visible focal fibre dissolution |
8 d | The epidemal layer is thin; the cell layer is basically free of normal cells, with nucleus pyknosis, nuclear fragmentation, and nuclear dissolution; the stratum corneum is swollen, and a purple foam-like stain layer is visible on the surface | The papillary layer fibres are dissolved, the reticulated fibres are arranged in order, the swelling is obvious, and there is focal dissolution |
10 d | The local dermis began to separate; the cell layer and stratum corneum changed as above | The papillary layer fibres are dissolved, the reticulated fibres are arranged in order, the swelling is obvious, and there is focal dissolution |
12 d | The cells in the cell layer are disorderly, their boundaries are unclear, the number of cells is reduced, and the remaining changes are the same as above | The papillary layer is homogeneous, the woven layer is partially dissolved, and the remaining fibres are swollen |
16 d | The number of cells in the cell layer is further reduced, and the remaining changes were the same; there was a contiguous purple-blue staining area at the junction of the epidermis and the dermis; the stratum corneum was severely swollen | Both the papillary layer and the woven layer are homogenized |
20 d | The cells in the cell layer are all dissolved, the epidemal is a purple-blue stained area, the stratum corneum changes are the same as above, and the epidemal is mostly separated from the dermis | Both the papillary layer and the woven layer are homogenized |
24 d | Completely separated from the dermis, the remaining changes are the same as above | The fibre dissolves into a homogeneous shape, and the papillary layer and the woven layer cannot be distinguished |
28 d | Completely separated from the dermis, the remaining changes are the same as above | The fibre dissolves into a homogeneous shape, and the papillary layer and the woven layer cannot be distinguished |
32 d | The epidemal disappears, and the purple-blue stained area disappears | Fragmented, flaky |
