A quantitative method for selecting a hair for nulear DNA analysis.

This study evaluated a quantitative method to predict the success of nuclear DNA (nuDNA) typing for head hair roots, using the minor-groove DNA binding dye, 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The procedure was successful in staining nuclear material in hair roots, regardless of soft tissue presence or growth phase. We found that the dye can even reveal an abundance of visible nuclei in hairs that were previously assumed to be unsuitable for nuDNA analysis (e.