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. 2006 Jul-Sep;46(3):179-84.
doi: 10.1016/S1355-0306(06)71591-X.

The use of phosphate buffered saline for the recovery of cells and spermatozoa from swabs

N C Martin  1 , A A Pirie, L V Ford, C L Callaghan, K McTurk, D Lucy, D G Scrimger
Affiliations

The use of phosphate buffered saline for the recovery of cells and spermatozoa from swabs

N C Martin et al. Sci Justice. 2006 Jul-Sep.

Erratum in

  • Sci Justice. 2007 Sep;47(2):108

Abstract

In the forensic science laboratory, the recovery of spermatozoa from vaginal swabs, or vaginal cells from penile swabs, can help determine if sexual intercourse may have taken place. There are several methods used to recover spermatozoa and cells from the swabs before visualisation on a microscope slide and most of these methods use water. Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) is a non-toxic solution used in many biological laboratories. Unlike water, PBS prevents cells rupturing or shrivelling up due to osmosis. This study demonstrates that PBS can be used for the extraction of spermatozoa and cells from swabs and that PBS does not affect subsequent DNA profiling.

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