Capillary tube isotachophoresis of proteins in early postmortem serum, cerebrospinal fluid and pericardial fluid.

Serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and pericardial fluid (PDF) obtained from 22 early cadavers were subjected to capillary tube isotachophoresis. Separated proteins were grouped into three main fractions, namely, Fr. 1, Fr. 2 and Fr. 3, in order of their decreasing effective (net) mobilities. The percentages of main fractions to total content were calculated by UV absorbance integration. It was found that Fr. 1 decreased and Fr. 2 increased in all three kinds of specimens with an increase in time following death. In serum and also in CSF, the degree of these changes between 6 and 58 hours following death seemed large enough (about 30%) to be used for crude estimations of early postmortem intervals. Changes in PDF proceeded more gradually than in serum and or in CSF, with only 5-20% changes during this period.