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Structure and function of frozen cells: freezing patterns and post‐thaw survival
Author(s) -
Nei Tokio
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1978.tb01165.x
Subject(s) - cryoprotectant , ice crystals , ice formation , yeast , cryopreservation , intracellular , shrinkage , chemistry , congelation , biophysics , cell survival , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , materials science , in vitro , meteorology , thermodynamics , geology , composite material , embryo , physics , atmospheric sciences
SUMMARY Freezing patterns and post‐thaw survival of cells varies with different cooling rates. The optimal cooling rates, indicating the highest percentage survival, were different in yeast and red blood cells. A difference of freezing patterns was also noticed in preparations frozen above and below the optimal cooling rate for each cell, namely, cell shrinkage at lower rates and intracellular ice formation at higher rates, which showed similar trends in both the cells, even though there was some shifting of the optimum. Ultra‐rapid freezing and addition of cryoprotectants are useful ways to minimize ice crystal formation and to cause such ice formations to approach the vitreous state. Ice crystals are hardly detectable in yeast cells as well as in erythrocytes, when these cells are frozen ultra‐rapidly in the presence of cryoprotective agents in moderate concentration.