Preservation of 5300 year old red blood cells in the Iceman.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
Marek JankoAlbert Zink

Abstract

Changes in elasticity and structures of red blood cells (RBCs) are important indicators of disease, and this makes them interesting for medical studies. In forensics, blood analyses represent a crucial part of crime scene investigations. For these reasons, the recovery and analysis of blood cells from ancient tissues is of major interest. In this study, we show that RBCs were preserved in Iceman tissue samples for more than 5000 years. The morphological and molecular composition of the blood corpuscle is verified by atomic force microscope and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The cell size and shape approximated those of healthy, dried, recent RBCs. Raman spectra of the ancient corpuscle revealed bands that are characteristic of haemoglobin. Additional vibrational modes typical for other proteinaceous fragments, possibly fibrin, suggested the formation of a blood clot. The band intensities, however, were approximately an order of magnitude weaker than those of recent RBCs. This fact points to a decrease in the RBC-specific metalloprotein haemoglobin and, thus, to a degradation of the cells. Together, the results show the preservation of RBCs in the 5000 year old mummy tissue and give the first insights into their degradation.

References

May 23, 1979·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·J MarxL Bernard
Feb 1, 1975·Biopolymers·B G Frushour, J L Koenig
Apr 20, 1973·Science·M R Zimmerman
Jan 28, 1967·Nature·P K Lewin
Nov 20, 1997·Lancet·A G NerlichH G Hagedorn
Jan 1, 1997·Journal of Electron Microscopy·P C GersztenM J Allison
Mar 21, 1998·Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy·H G EdwardsE E Lawson
Apr 16, 1998·The Journal of Investigative Dermatology·M GniadeckaH C Wulf
Aug 26, 1998·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·M W HessO Gaber
Feb 24, 2001·Ultramicroscopy·M O'ReillyJ O'Mullane
Apr 6, 2001·Journal of Medical Microbiology·A ZinkA G Nerlich
Jul 20, 2001·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·R A Clark
Feb 8, 2002·Nature·Louis H MillerOgobara K Doumbo
Feb 26, 2003·Radiology·William A MurphyHorst Seidler
Aug 2, 2003·Lancet·Andreas G NerlichEduard Egarter-Vigl
Nov 12, 2003·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Dong Hoon ShinByung Soo Chang
Apr 27, 2005·Transfusion Medicine Reviews·Kirby L ScottJason P Acker
Mar 7, 2006·Expert Review of Medical Devices·Ioan Notingher, Larry L Hench
Sep 21, 2006·American Journal of Hematology·Jay Umbreit
Nov 11, 2006·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Stefan StrasserStefan Thalhammer
Dec 8, 2006·Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·Bayden R WoodDon McNaughton
Jan 9, 2007·Blood Reviews·Alisa S Wolberg
Mar 16, 2007·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Ju LiSubra Suresh
Nov 30, 2007·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Niels Lynnerup
Feb 29, 2008·Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part a·Tomás RiedelMilan Houska
Jan 27, 2009·Intensive Care Medicine·Andreas G NerlichEduard Egarter-Vigl
Oct 17, 2009·Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry·Kelly Virkler, Igor K Lednev
Dec 9, 2009·The FEBS Journal·Tamir Kanias, Jason P Acker
Feb 18, 2010·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·Zahi HawassCarsten M Pusch
Apr 2, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Marek JankoRobert W Stark

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 9, 2014·Forensic Science International : Synergy·Gregory McLaughlin, Igor K Lednev
Jun 7, 2013·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·Frank MaixnerAndreas Keller
Nov 24, 2012·Journal of Biophotonics·Aliaksandra SikirzhytskayaIgor K Lednev
May 3, 2015·IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience·Rashmi MukherjeeChandan Chakraborty
Feb 11, 2015·Global Heart·Albert ZinkJohannes Krause
Apr 12, 2017·Applied Spectroscopy·Chad G AtkinsRobin F B Turner
Oct 23, 2019·Journal of Anatomy·Fulvio BarbaroRoberto Toni
Jun 24, 2020·Scientific Reports·R BarbieriM Drancourt
Feb 18, 2017·Analytical Chemistry·Aliaksandra SikirzhytskayaIgor K Lednev
Sep 11, 2019·Gerontology·Albert R Zink, Frank Maixner

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
electron microscopy
X-ray
biopsies
AFM

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Blood Clotting Disorders

Thrombophilia includes conditions with increased tendency for excessive blood clotting. Blood clotting occurs when the body has insufficient amounts of specialized proteins that make blood clot and stop bleeding. Here is the latest research on blood clotting disorders.