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Presented by Julianna Jimenez

A Barr body is expressed by an inactivated, condensed X chromosome that is found in female somatic cells. Females have only one Barr body per somatic cell while males have none due to only having one X chromosome. Previous research indicated that Barr bodies can be found in hair root sheath cells, saliva, buccal cells, pulp tissue, vaginal smears, and blood [1]. Sex can be determined and differentiated by identifying the absence or presence of Barr bodies in a biological specimen. Biological evidence, particularly blood, found at crime scenes could be examined for the presence of Barr bodies as a quick, low-cost screening method to determine sex.

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