Paternity testing.

Abstract

There is evidence that parentage determination was a problem even in biblical times. The most significant developments in resolving these problems occurred in the 20th century starting with Landsteiner's description of the ABO blood group system in 1900. The utility of paternity testing increased as new blood group systems were identified. Major advances occurred between 1940 and 1970, starting with the discovery of the Rh system and reaching a highpoint with the application of HLA typing to paternity studies. Although the exclusion of falsely accused alleged fathers continues as the primary focus of paternity testing, statistical analysis has contributed significantly to the information that can be gleaned from the test results when exclusion has not been demonstrated. Paternal inclusion still cannot be conclusively proven but a mathematical estimation of the likelihood of paternity has found legal acceptance. New technology is now being directed toward identifying inherited DNA markers through the use of genetic probes. Segregation of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) may provide the near ultimate test for paternity as it may supply indisputable evidence of family relationships.