[Postmortem DNA and RNA synthesis. Preliminary studies in human cadavers].

Postmortem DNA and RNA synthesis was detected in tissue specimens harvested from two cadavers at different intervals between 2.5 and 32 h postmortem. Each tissue specimen was incubated for 1 h in a 3H-thymidine or 3H-cytidine solution. DNA- as well as RNA-synthesizing cells were found in skin tissue and bone marrow throughout the interval investigated. Cytidine incorporation decreased progressively during the course of the postmortem interval. DNA and RNA synthesis was also observed in cells of the testis, which were predominantly spermatogonia cells in the case of DNA. Low-grade RNA synthesis was detected in bowel epithelial cells up to 2.5 h postmortem; DNA synthesis was not present during the interval investigated. No supravital phenomena were observable in the splenic tissues examined.