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J Indian Acad Forensic Med. Jan- March 2012, Vol. 34, No. 1 ISSN 0971-0973 Photo-1: Gross Appearance of remains: ULupper limb, LL-lower limb Radiological Examination: After this the tissue (lower limbs and upper limb) was sent to the Department of Radiodiagnosis for the ossification centres. X- Rays were done for both the limbs. On radiological examination of the limb tissue, the age of the foetus /embryo was approximately 3 months. The ossification centres for metatarsal bones were visible which appear at the 10 th week of intrauterine life. Also on USG the femur length was found to be 10 mm which also suggests the age to be around 3 months. Photo-2: CM-Centre of ossification for metatarsal bone Histological Examination: A skin tissue from the obtained foetus was taken for histological examination. The paraffin block of the tissue was prepared and cut. The sections were stained with H and E stain. Under light microscope, it was seen that in the epidermis the basal layer was multilayered and the junction between the epidermis and dermis was smooth i.e. there was no appearance of epidermal ridges and dermal papillae. The smooth junction between the epidermis and dermis suggests age of the embryo/foetus to be less than 3 months because the epidermal ridges and dermal papillae become prominent at the end of 3 rd month. From the basal layer of epidermis down growths were seen which were suggestive of growth of hair follicles. Hair follicles become prominent by the 10 th week of intra uterine life which again reveals that the age of foetus is around end of 3 rd month. 90 Photo-3: Histological examination (H & E Staining) HF- Hair Follicle So from the above findings the age of the embryo/foetus appears to be more than two and a half months and less than 3 months (between 10-12 weeks) Discussion: Histological examination & embryological basis: Limb buds become visible as out pouchings from the ventrolateral body wall at the end of the 4 th week of intrauterine life. Initially they consist of a mesenchymal core, derived from the somatic layer of the lateral plate mesoderm that forms the bones and connective tissue of the limbs, covered by a layer of cuboidal ectoderm. The hind limb buds somewhat lag behind in development, as compared to those of the forelimbs. [5] According to Haase Rule- At the end of 2 nd month the hands and feet are webbed and the placenta begins to form. At the end of 3 rd month the nails start appearing and are soft. [4] At the apex of each limb bud the ectoderm thickens to form an apical ectodermal ridge (AER). AER is a multilayered epithelial structure which interacts with mesenchyme in the limb bud, promoting outgrowth of the bud. The upper limb bud is paddle shaped and the lower limb buds are flipper like. At about 55 days the tips of the toes are separated and interdigital degeneration begins. [6] Initially, the embryo is covered by a single layer of ectodermal cells. In the beginning of the 2 nd month, this epithelium divides and a layer of flattened cells, the periderm or epitrichium is laid down on the surface. [5] The cells of periderm continually undergo keratinization and desquamation and are replaced by cells arising from the basal layer. Proliferation of cells in the stratum germinativum also forms epidermal ridges which extend into the developing dermis. These ridges begin to appear in the embryo at 10 th week and are permanently established by the 17 th week. [6] The dermal papillae develop below the epidermis in the 4 th week. [7]
J Indian Acad Forensic Med. Jan- March 2012, Vol. 34, No. 1 ISSN 0971-0973 Hair begins to develop early in the foetal period (9-10 week), but they don’t become easily recognizable until about the 23rd week. A hair follicle begins as a proliferation of the stratum germinativum of the epidermis and extends into the underlying dermis. [6] Hair primordial originates in the stratum basale (3 rd month). Epidermal buds, each in contact with a mesodermal hair papilla, burrow into the dermis and expand into hair bulbs. [7] The bones are preformed in cartilage. At birth the cartilage shows centres for the shafts of the metatarsals, phalanges and for the calcaneus, talus and often the cuboid. The cartilage is first apparent in the 6 th week and forms the various bones which are distinct by the middle of the 3 rd month. [8] This co-relates with our study in which the age of the embryo was between 2 and half to 3 months. The length of the diaphysis of the foetal femur is often used for gestational age prediction. Careful measurements of the ossified diaphysis of the femur are necessary in order to obtain an accurate estimate of gestational age. The entire femur should be imaged and the thin bright reflection of the cartilaginous epiphysis should not be included in the measurements. [9] 91 In our study, the length of femur was 10mm on ultrasound & thus the age of the foetus is 13 weeks (gestational age estimation by femur length) Conclusion: From the above findings, the age of the foetus is between 10-12 weeks References: 1. Kadasne DK. Embryology – Kadasne`s text book of embryology.Jaypee brothers 2001; 1st edn : 1-2. 2. Baccino E, Martrille L, Cunha E. The problem of ageing human remains & living individuals: a review. Forensic Sci Int 2009; 193(1- 3): 1-13. 3. Machado LSM, Vuclavinkova V & Gibb H. Evaluation of applicability of standard growth. Curves to healthy native omani women by fetal biometry at selected gestational ages. Medical sciences 2000; 2: 97-104. 4. SabriI.Assessmentofageinfoetushttp://en.Wikipedia.org/ugteaching/ ageoffetus.htm. 2004; 11/2/2010. 5. Sadler TW. Langman`s medical embryology1994; 7th edn Williams & Wilkins, 154-155&368-369. 6. Moore P. The developing human. Clinically oriented embryology 7th edn 2005 Saunders (An imprint of Elsevier), 410-415 &486-489. 7. Brookes M & Zietman A. Clinical embryology – A colour atlas & text. 1998; CRC Press, 296-297. 8. Breathnach AS. Frazer`s anatomy of the human skeleton1965; 6th edn Churchill Livingstone, London, 153. 9. Rumack CM, Wilson SR & Charbonean JW. In diagnostic ultrasound 1998; 2nd edn. Vol-2, 1017-1018.
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