In addition to evidence of the vital reaction it is important from the forensic aspect to assess the age of wounds, in particular in wounds with a short time of survival.T o both can contribute detection of adhesive molecules, identified in recent years, possibly in combination with other markers of early stages of reparative inflammation.The submitted paper comprises the results of investigation of 465 skin wounds.The investigated samples were obtained from necroptic material, excision from wounds of treated patients and from experimental injuries in mice.Ass essment of the age of injuries by means of endothelial adhesive molecules was made in paraffin sections after transfer into Varioclave and using the ABC techniqueref.. In human material a strong positive reaction of ICAM-1 was observed first after 1 and a half hours and latest after 3 and a half days, in P-selectin first after 3 mins., latest after 7 hours,in E-selectin first after 1 hour and latest after 17 days, in VCAM-1 first after 3 hours and latest 3 and a half days after the development of the injury.Expr ession of L-selectin was not typical for the injury.In skin injuries of mice positive imunohistochemical reactions were found as a rule sooner than in skin injuries of humans. Fibronectin was detected in paraffin sections from 70 skin wounds of dissected subjects immunohistochemically by the indirect immunoperoxidase reaction and by the use of the ABC technique labelled with alkaline phosphatase.P ositive evidence was observed first after 5 minutes and latest after 8 hours.Concl usion: Detection ofa rise of expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and P- andE. selectin and the formation of basic netlike fibronectin structures improves the assessment of the age of wounds with a short survival period.

        Key words: selectins - ICAM-1 - VCAM-1 - fibronectin - age of wounds - immunohistochemistry