Observation of smooth muscle cell transformation in cerebral blood vessel using differentiation marker and its application to forensic examination.

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K08887
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Legal medicine
• Research Institution: St. Marianna University School of Medicine (2016-2017); Tokyo Women's Medical University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Ro Ayako 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50296555)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 脳血管 / クモ膜下出血 / 脳動脈瘤 / 平滑筋細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Histopathological features of cerebral arteries focusing on the medial smooth muscle cells for forensic diagnosis of sudden death due to cerebral arterial rupture were examined. In cases of vertebral artery dissection, segmental arterial mediolysis was observed as a causative lesion in all examined cases. The response of mesenchymal cells found at the rupture site was considered to be a useful finding for distinguishing from traumatic vertebral arterial rupture. In the cases of a saccular aneurysm, the morphology and distribution of the medial smooth muscle cells enables to evaluate growth course of the aneurysm. That is useful for forensic practice in the point of grasping the case's prenatal course.

Free Research Field

法医病理学