Morphological Characteristics of the Cartilaginous Tissue of Human Auricle in Different Age Periods.

A complex morphological study of the auricle to determine the human age was performed by evaluating the metric sizes between fixed points in each auricle with axial guidelines. The auricular elastic cartilage in different age periods was characterized by thickening of the cartilaginous plate, different mature and immature cartilage zone ratio, variations in the volume density of the intercellular substance and elastic fibers, and change in the numerical density of individual chondrocytes and isogroups. Aggrecan content in the cartilage was shown to increase in different age periods. Age-related structural changes in the auricular cartilage expand the possibilities of forensic medical examination and hold much promise for the identification of personality.