For this study, we used the DNA extracted from 49 cases of dental pulp. Dental pulp was sampled from teeth stored in a room for 1 to 23 years. After measuring the DNA by the spectrophotometer, the human DNA was detected by the QuantitationÔ Human DNA Quantitation Kit (Perkin-Elmer). Each spot was quantified by the photographic processing software (photoshop 2.5J: Adobe) and was calculated to demonstrate the quantity of human DNA.

For STR typing, we used CSF1PO, TPOX, TH01 and vWA loci from the GenePrintÔ STR System (Promega). The STR alleles were detected by silver staing after 4 to 6% denatured polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

The quantity of spectroscopic DNA in 49 cases were found to be 18.6 to 68.Ong/ ml. The human DNA of those were quantified and calculated the percentage to the spectroscopic DNA. The proportion of human DNA ranged from 23.8 to 99.3% with the mean of 72.9%. According to the report by Smith et al., the percentage of human DNA in the spectroscopic DNA was 15% when they used the dental pulp from teeth stored for 18 weeks. The proportion of human DNA in our results showed higher percentage. The relation between the storage years and the proportion of human DNA was not indicated any certain trend.

Concerning 49 cases, we decided the quantity of template DNA from the spectroscopic DNA and determined STR four loci. The STR typing was correctly determined in all cases. Checking the quantity of human DNA in those template DNA, those were included 14.9 to 53.3ng of human DNA. These quantity of human DNA were satisfied the required template DNA in protocol; 5 to 20ng.

We found out that aged dental pulp from the stored teeth was useful for STR typing because of its rich in human DNA.