Differential extraction (also known as differential lysis) refers to the process by which the DNA from two different types of cells can be extracted without mixing their contents. The most common application of this method is the extraction of DNA from vaginal epithelial cells and sperm cells from sexual assault cases in order to determine the DNA profiles of the victim and the perpetrator. Its success is based on the fact that sperm cells have protein disulfide bonds in their outer membrane which makes them more resilient to extraction than epithelial cells.