PCR from hair follicles/buccal(sp?) cells

[BOWDEN at MGRP.BGSM.WFU.EDU]

	We are going to try to carry out pcr analysis from samples sent by 
mail. The idea is to test samples with 5-6 different microsatellite markers.
For complicated reasons it will be difficult to get blood samples, but 
hair follicles or buccal(sp.?) cell scrapings from the mouth are easy to 
get. Can anyone suggest references for such a procedure, or relate there
own experience? Do hair follicles, buccal smears travel well? That is could
they be sent by regular mail? Also can you get reliable pcr from them?
By the way, these are human samples. Thanks for any help which can be pro-
vided.
Don Bowden
Dept. of Biochemistry
Bowman Gray School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, NC 27157