5月3日，據(jù)臺灣《聯(lián)合報》報道,，研究意大利阿爾卑斯山區(qū)木乃伊冰人“奧茨”的學者,，已在冰人身上傷口附近找到紅血球細胞。學者推測,，冰人可能是在受傷后迅速死亡,。這是目前為止科學家觀察到的最古老的紅血球細胞，也堪稱是全世界最古老兇殺案的最新發(fā)展,。
報道稱,，血液細胞多半會在人死后迅速分解，先前對奧茨體內(nèi)血液的掃描并未發(fā)現(xiàn)任何東西,，但發(fā)表在《皇家學會學報—界面》（Journal of The Royal Society Interface ）的一項研究顯示,，奧茨死前不久流的血都被保存了下來,。
奧茨大約生于公元前3300年,，于1991年被登山客發(fā)現(xiàn)，他的背部中箭,，箭頭留在體內(nèi),，專家認定他是因傷致死，但關(guān)于他究竟是跌落那個死亡地點,，或是死后由他人埋葬在那里,，眾說紛紜。
意大利“艾伍拉克木乃伊及冰人研究所”研究員金克等人曾在英國醫(yī)學期刊《刺胳針》上發(fā)表論文指出,，奧茨手上的一個傷口有血紅蛋白,；但他們一直認定紅血球細胞很脆弱，無法保存那么久,。
現(xiàn)在這個團隊從奧茨箭傷附近的組織樣本中,，發(fā)現(xiàn)有一些“甜甜圈”形的組織，就像是紅血球細胞,。
金克說,，這似乎解開了整樁疑案的一個重點。他說,，“由于血纖維蛋白只出現(xiàn)在新傷口上,，隨后就會分解，因此我們推測,，若說奧茨是在受箭傷之后幾天才喪生,，這是說不通的。”（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1098/?rsif.2012.0174
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Preservation of 5300 year old red blood cells in the Iceman
Janko, Marek; Stark, Robert W.; Zink, Albert
Changes in elasticity and structures of red blood cells (RBCs) are important indicators of disease, and this makes them interesting for medical studies. In forensics, blood analyses represent a crucial part of crime scene investigations. For these reasons, the recovery and analysis of blood cells from ancient tissues is of major interest. In this study, we show that RBCs were preserved in Iceman tissue samples for more than 5000 years. The morphological and molecular composition of the blood corpuscle is verified by atomic force microscope and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The cell size and shape approximated those of healthy, dried, recent RBCs. Raman spectra of the ancient corpuscle revealed bands that are characteristic of haemoglobin. Additional vibrational modes typical for other proteinaceous fragments, possibly fibrin, suggested the formation of a blood clot. The band intensities, however, were approximately an order of magnitude weaker than those of recent RBCs. This fact points to a decrease in the RBC-specific metalloprotein haemoglobin and, thus, to a degradation of the cells. Together, the results show the preservation of RBCs in the 5000 year old mummy tissue and give the first insights into their degradation.
