- 01 Introduction
- 02 Biology of DNA
- 03 Practical Issues Specific to DNA Evidence
- 04 Introduction to the Forensic DNA Laboratory
- 05 Assuring Quality in DNA Testing
- 06 Understanding a Forensic DNA Lab Report
- 07 Statistics and Population Genetics
- 08 Mitochondrial DNA & Y-STR Analysis
- 09 Forensic DNA Databases
- 10 Collection of DNA Evidence from Suspects and Arrestees
- 11 Pretrial DNA Evidence Issues
- 12 Victim Issues
- 13 Trial Presentation
- 14 Postconviction DNA Cases
- 15 Emerging Trends
Principles of Forensic DNA
for Officers of the Court
for Officers of the Court
Module 8 :: mtDNA & Y-STR
Topic 1 :: Introduction to mtDNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis is useful in forensic cases in which nuclear DNA is insufficient for short tandem repeat (STR) typing. Shed body, head, and pubic hairs with no cellular material (hair follicle) attached to the root bulb and aged skeletal remains are the samples most commonly analyzed for mtDNA because nuclear DNA is not recoverable from these tissues.
