I.

OBJECTIVE(S):
a. Determine the microscopic characteristics of human and animal hair;

b. Understand and appreciate the scientific information that can be obtained from the
microscopic examination of hair.

II. RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS:

Microscopic Characteristics
Sample Root Bulb (Image) Hair Shaft Tip

Cuticle Cortex Medulla

1. Head Hair Cuticle : he outermost layer of a The tip can
hair strand. It's what protects your provide
hair from damage and imparts important
shine. like fish scales or roof clues like if it
tiles, but facing downwards was cut or
Cortex: forms the main bulk burned,
and pigment (colour) of your hair. missed or
It consists of long keratin pulled.
filaments
Medulla: only present in thicker
hair types, is the innermost layer
of your hair. It consists of a soft,
thin core of transparent cells and
air spaces.
2. Fuzz hair Cuticle : he outermost layer of a The tip can
hair strand. It's what protects your provide
hair from damage and imparts important
shine. like fish scales or roof clues like if it
tiles, but facing downwards was cut or
Cortex: forms the main bulk burned,
and pigment (colour) of your hair. missed or
It consists of long keratin pulled.
filaments
Medulla: only present in thicker
hair types, is the innermost layer
of your hair. It consists of a soft,
thin core of transparent cells and
air spaces.
3. Axillary hair Cuticle : he outermost layer of a The tip can
hair strand. It's what protects your provide
hair from damage and imparts important
shine. like fish scales or roof clues like if it
tiles, but facing downwards was cut or
Cortex: forms the main bulk burned,
and pigment (colour) of your hair. missed or
It consists of long keratin pulled.
filaments
Medulla: only present in thicker
hair types, is the innermost layer
of your hair. It consists of a soft,
thin core of transparent cells and
air spaces.
 4. Nose hair Cuticle : he outermost layer of a The tip can
hair strand. It's what protects your provide
hair from damage and imparts important
shine. like fish scales or roof clues like if it
tiles, but facing downwards was cut or
Cortex: forms the main bulk burned,
and pigment (colour) of your hair. missed or
It consists of long keratin pulled.
filaments
Medulla: only present in thicker
hair types, is the innermost layer
of your hair. It consists of a soft,
thin core of transparent cells and
air spaces.

ANIMAL HAIRS
Microscopic Characteristics
Sample Root Bulb (Image) Hair Shaft Tip

Cuticle Cortex Medulla

1. Dog hair Cuticle : is typically different , The tip can
cuticle scales in animals tend to provide
resemble petalsor they give the important
appearance of a stack of crowns clues like if it
Cortex : usually less than width of was cut or
the medulla burned,
Medulla: medulla is continouos. missed or
pulled.

2. Cat hair Cuticle : is typically different , The tip can

cuticle scales in animals tend to provide
resemble petalsor they give the important
appearance of a stack of crowns clues like if it
Cortex : usually less than width of was cut or
the medulla burned,
Medulla: medulla is continouos missed or
pulled.
 3. Pig hair Cuticle : is typically different , The tip can
cuticle scales in animals tend to provide
z resemble petalsor they give the important
appearance of a stack of crowns clues like if it
Cortex : usually less than width of was cut or
the medulla burned,
Medulla: medulla is continouos missed or
pulled.

II. POST LABORATORY DISCUSSION Guide Questions

1. What is the primary component of the hair?

Keratinocytes make keratin, a type of protein that's a basic component of hair, skin, and
nails. Keratin in the skin's outer layer helps create a protective barrier, and it is the
primary components of a hair.

2. Where is the individual hair formed?

The follicle is the primary structure from which hair can grow. At the bottom of the follicle
is the papilla where the actual hair growth happens. The papilla contains an artery that
nourishes the root of the hair. As cells multiply and make keratin to harden the structure,
they're pushed up the follicle and through the skin's surface as a shaft of hair.

3. What is hair follicle?

Hair follicles are structures within your skin that grow your hair. Hair follicles not only
play a key role in hair growth but also contain glands that produce and release a type of
natural oil. Therefore, healthy hair follicles are essential for having a good head of hair,
but also for healthy, smooth skin

4. What is keratin?

Keratin is a protein that helps form hair, nails and your skin's outer layer (epidermis). It
helps support your skin, heal wounds and keep your nails and hair healthy.

5. How many hair follicles does an average human head possess?

A hair follicle is a small pouch in your skin out of which your hairs grow. There
are approximately 100,000 hair follicles on your head. As you can see, this matches up
closely with the average number of hairs on your head.

6. What is the maximum length of a grown hair?

 In most people, scalp hair growth will halt due to follicle devitalization after reaching a
length of generally two or three feet. Exceptions to this rule can be observed in
individuals with hair development abnormalities, which may cause an unusual length of
hair growth. The maximum hair length that is possible to reach is about 15 centimetres
(5.9 in) for infants (below the age of 1), about 60 centimetres (24 in) for children, and
generally 100 centimetres (39 in) for adults. Some individuals can reach excessive
lengths.

7. What is the average hair loss a day?

The American Academy of Dermatology note that it is normal for a person to lose
about 50–100 hairs each day. Each hair follicle goes through a cycle that includes a
growth stage (anagen) and a rest stage (telogen) before the hair falls out. When the
body sheds significantly more hairs every day, a person has excessive hair shedding.

8. What are the three (3) cycles of hair growth? Describe each.

This cycle can be divided into three phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and
telogen (rest).
Anagen growth is the active phase in which the hair follicle takes on its onion-like shape
and works to produce the hair fiber.
The catagen phase begins with the end of the anagen phase and is characterized by a
transition telogen or resting phase of the hair cycle, in which the hair follicle is dormant,
and growth of the hair shaft does not occur.

8. Where do you search for hair evidence?

Investigators often find hair at the crime scene. When a crime happens, evidences are
left behind and sometimes hairs are found on a crime scene. A hair can be trace
evidence, that can connect to a suspect or a victim.

9. What are the three (3) parts of a hair? Describe each.

the three inner layers become the hair, made up of the cuticle, the cortex and the
medulla although the medulla isn’t always present, especially in hairs with a thinner
diameter. The cuticle is your hair’s protective layer, composed of overlapping cells —
like fish scales or roof tiles, but facing downwards. A healthy cuticle is smooth and flat.
This gives your hair shine and protects the inner layers from damage. The cortex forms
the main bulk and pigment (colour) of your hair. It consists of long keratin filaments,
which are held together by disulphide and hydrogen bonds. The health of your cortex
depends largely on the integrity of the cuticle protecting it. e medulla, only present in
thicker hair types, is the innermost layer of your hair. It consists of a soft, thin core of
transparent cells and air spaces.

10. What are the three (3) parts of a hair shaft? Describe each.

The hair shaft is formed of three layers:

 The medulla – the deepest layer of the hair shaft, only seen in large and thick hairs.
 The cortex – the middle layer of the hair shaft which provides the strength, colour and
texture of a hair fibre.
 The cuticle – the outer layer of the hair shaft is thin and colourless.
 12. What are the kinds of forensic examination that are conducted in hair samples?

Describe each.

Forensic scientists perform 3 major types of hair analysis: testing the hair shaft for drugs
or nutritional deficiencies in a person’s system, analyzing DNA collected from the root
of the hair, and viewing hair under a microscope to determine if it’s from a particular
person or animal. They usually study the hair’s scale pattern and appearance of the
medulla to identify a hair of unknown origin.

13. What is the difference between a microscopic test of hair and a DNA
examination of hair?

A microscopic look at hair can't absolutely identify the owner. Since few people
have the exact same hair characteristics, however, microscopic exams can provide
compelling evidence that hair samples are associated with a certain person. If the
hair root has tissue, DNA testing can provide absolute identity.

CONCLUSION:
The hair on our heads doesn't just look nice. It keeps us warm by preserving heat. Hair
in the nose, ears, and around the eyes protects these sensitive areas from dust and
other small particles. Eyebrows and eyelashes protect eyes by decreasing the amount
of light and particles that go into them but we also have a lot of uses of hairs, especially
on criminal investigation. Hair evidence can provide information about the race of the
individual, and it can also show if the hair has been chemically treated, or if has been
cut or pulled out in a certain way. Hair evidence can also show where in the body it was
located, as well as genetic information such as blood type or DNA. It is important to
determine the suspect for administering justice.

REFERENCES:
https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2005/march/hair031605#:~:text=But%20a%20microscopic%20look
%20at,testing%20can%20provide%20absolute%20identity.

https://knowledge.carolina.com/discipline/interdisciplinary/forensic-hair-analysis-activity/
#:~:text=Forensic%20scientists%20perform%203%20major,a%20particular%20person%20or%20animal.

https://www.philipkingsley.co.uk/hair-guide/hair-science/the-hair-structure.html#:~:text=The%20three
%20inner%20layers%20become,hairs%20with%20a%20thinner%20diameter).

https://www.casdschools.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?
moduleinstanceid=7462&dataid=6506&FileName=05-Hair.pdf
DOCUMENTATION