Abstract: Objective To study the expression of c- fos in organs after rats electrified. Methods The brain,lung, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle of electrified limb, and cutis of electrified limb of all experimen-tal rats and those organs of control groups were dissected to detect the expression of c- fos by using immunohis-tochemistry staining, and the staining intensity were assessed by image analysis system. Results The expressionof c- fos was observed in brain, heart, liver, lung, kidney and muscle in electrified directly group, the amount ofexpression reached peak at 2 h after electrified and decreasing at 8 h after electrified, and the expressionshowed faintness in electrified at the immediate after death group. The expressions of c- fos in spleen andcutis is negative in all groups. The expression of c- fos in all detected organs was negative in other ratsthat were electrified after death. Conclusion c- fos can be regard as a target in identifying electrical in-jury, whether it formed at antemortem or postmortem.

Key words: electrical injury, c- fos, immunohistochemistry staining, image analysis, rat