[The expression of ubiquitin in the healing process of incised wounds of rat's skin and its significance to forensic medicine].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the changes of ubiquitin expression in incised wounds of the rat skin.

METHODS

The testing rat groups were subjected to incised skin wounds, with normal rat skin used as control. The expression level of ubiquitin was assessed using immunohistochemistry and imaging analysis technique on skin samples taken at 1, 3, 6, 12h, and on day 1, 3, 6, 10, and 14d after injury.

RESULTS

The expression level of ubiquitin was low in the skin of normal control group. Increased level of ubiquitin expression could be observed 1 h after injury. The expression level of ubiquitin reached its peak on day 6 and started to decline on day 10, and then returned to its normal level on day 14 d after injury.

CONCLUSION

Ubiquitin may serve as a potentially useful marker for forensic determination of the skin wound age.