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Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death, following pallor mortis, livor mortis, algor mortis, and rigor mortis. This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal post-mortem . In broad terms, it can be viewed as the decomposition of proteins , and the eventual breakdown of the cohesiveness between tissues, and the liquefaction ...
The three characteristics of putrefaction are discoloration, disfiguration, and dissolution. There are many factors that could affect the rate of putrefaction in animals such as age, body composition, temperature, and if the body is located in a wet or dry area. [8] Temperature must be between 0 °C and 48 °C for putrefaction to occur.
The first signs of putrefaction are usually the discolorations of the body which can vary between shades of green, blue, red or black depending on 1) where the color changes are observed and 2) how far along within the decomposition process the observation is made. This phenomenon is known as marbling.
The formation of adipocere slows decomposition by inhibiting the bacteria that cause putrefaction. [31] In extremely dry or cold conditions, the normal process of decomposition is halted – by either lack of moisture or temperature controls on bacterial and enzymatic action – causing the body to be preserved as a mummy.
During later stages of decomposition, more resistant tissue proteins are degraded by the effects of putrefaction. These include: reticulin; muscle protein; collagen (a hard tissue protein), which survives even longer than the former tissue proteins [4] Keratin is a protein which is found in skin, hair, and nails.
Autolysis and putrefaction are the main processes responsible for the decomposition of remains. [ 1 ] In the healing of wounds, autolytic debridement can be a helpful process, where the body breaks down and liquifies dead tissue so that it can be washed or carried away.
The definition of legal death, and its formal documentation in a death certificate, vary according to the jurisdiction. The certification applies to somatic death , corresponding to death of the person, which has varying definitions but most commonly describes a lack of vital signs and brain function. [ 9 ]
In the fields of histology, pathology, and cell biology, fixation is the preservation of biological tissues from decay due to autolysis or putrefaction.It terminates any ongoing biochemical reactions and may also increase the treated tissues' mechanical strength or stability.