RSID-Vaginal Mucosa
Definition
Rapid Stain Identification of Vaginal Mucosa. An immunochromatographic lateral-flow assay using antibodies targeting proteins specific to human vaginal epithelial cells, providing higher specificity than glycogen-based methods.
- Full name
- Rapid Stain Identification of Vaginal Mucosa
- Manufacturer
- Independent Forensics
- Target
- Vaginal epithelial cell proteins
- Format
- Immunochromatographic lateral-flow assay
Common questions
How does this test improve on glycogen-based identification of vaginal fluid?+
Older methods relied on staining glycogenated epithelial cells, which are not unique to the vagina and can appear from other mucosal sites, reducing specificity. Targeting proteins expressed specifically by vaginal epithelial cells narrows the source attribution.
Why is vaginal fluid identification forensically significant?+
Confirming vaginal fluid on an item, such as clothing or a swab from a suspect, can corroborate contact in sexual assault investigations in a way that general DNA presence alone does not, since DNA does not indicate which body fluid it came from.
Related terms
- Ehrlich's Reagent
- A solution of para-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde in acid. It reacts with urobilinogen and related pyrrole-containing compounds to produce a pink-red colour, used as a...
- Ferning
- The arborisation pattern formed when cervical or vaginal mucus dries on a glass slide, produced by sodium chloride and glycoprotein crystallisation. Visible...
- Glycogen
- A polysaccharide energy store present in vaginal epithelial cells. It is released when cells are lysed and can be detected by periodic...
- Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) Reaction
- A histochemical staining method that oxidises polysaccharides (including glycogen) to produce aldehydes, which are then detected by Schiff reagent as a magenta...
- Urobilinogen
- A colourless bile pigment metabolite produced by intestinal bacteria from bilirubin. It is excreted in faeces (as urobilin/stercobilin) and detected in forensic...