Which of the following is NOT a feature examined in microscopic hair analysis?

Which of the following is NOT a feature examined in microscopic hair analysis?

• A. Medullary index
• B. DNA sequence
• C. Cuticle scale pattern
• D. Root bulb presence

Answer: (B)

Microscopic hair analysis focuses on structural features you can see in the hair shaft under a light microscope. The main things examined are how the medulla relates to the overall hair diameter (medullary index), the pattern of the cuticle scales on the hair’s surface, and the presence or absence of a root bulb at the end of the hair. The medullary index helps with classifying hair and comparing samples, while cuticle scale patterns can be characteristic for species or individual sources and aid in matching hairs. The root bulb presence tells you whether a hair was recently pulled and can indicate if a DNA source might be available from that root. DNA sequence, however, is not determined by microscopic examination. Obtaining genetic information requires molecular biology techniques—extracting DNA from the hair (often from the root) and sequencing it. These steps are separate from the morphological assessment done under the microscope. So, while DNA can eventually be analyzed, it’s not a feature you assess through microscopic hair morphology.

Microscopic hair analysis focuses on structural features you can see in the hair shaft under a light microscope. The main things examined are how the medulla relates to the overall hair diameter (medullary index), the pattern of the cuticle scales on the hair’s surface, and the presence or absence of a root bulb at the end of the hair. The medullary index helps with classifying hair and comparing samples, while cuticle scale patterns can be characteristic for species or individual sources and aid in matching hairs. The root bulb presence tells you whether a hair was recently pulled and can indicate if a DNA source might be available from that root.

DNA sequence, however, is not determined by microscopic examination. Obtaining genetic information requires molecular biology techniques—extracting DNA from the hair (often from the root) and sequencing it. These steps are separate from the morphological assessment done under the microscope. So, while DNA can eventually be analyzed, it’s not a feature you assess through microscopic hair morphology.