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Biology of Skin

NCJ Number
202538
Journal
Journal of Forensic Identification Volume: 53 Issue: 5 Dated: September/October 2003 Pages: 585-595
Author(s)
Alice Maceo
Date Published
September 2003
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the book The Biology of Skin, edited by R. K. Freinkel and D. Woodley.
Abstract
The book explains how skin functions, which is relevant to those in the latent fingerprint profession. The article suggests that reviewing scientific literature on fingerprint analysis is useful after beginning the job because it holds relevance for everyday work. Understanding how the skin functions is intriguing because it lends understanding to the concept of fingerprint permanence, which is a fundamental assumption in fingerprint analysis work. Key components of the book are outlined, including overviews of homeostasis, epidermis and how it is regulated, and proliferation. Methods of homeostasis and the various layers of the skin are described, as is the cell cycle and its regulation. Finally, there is a section on what to explain to a jury about how skin functions and the permanence of fingerprints.

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