"The primary obstacle to cryopreserving brains has been the formation of ice crystals. As water freezes within the delicate cellular makeup, these crystals expand, puncturing membranes, disrupting the intricate network of neurons and ultimately destroying the connections that underlie thought, memory and consciousness."
"A team of neurologists at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany circumvented this problem by turning to a technique known as vitrification. This process cools tissue so rapidly that it prevents ice from forming altogether, and instead of crystallizing, the liquids inside and around the cells transform into an amorphous, glass-like state, preserving the tissue's structure with all molecular motion effectively halted."
"The team applied this method to thin slices of mouse hippocampus, a region critical for learning and memory, cooling them to -196 degrees Celsius (about -321 degrees Fahrenheit) with liquid nitrogen. The samples were then stored in this glass-like state for periods ranging from ten minutes to a full week."
Cryopreservation of complex biological tissue, particularly the brain, has long been hindered by ice crystal formation that destroys cellular membranes and neural connections. Researchers at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg developed a solution using vitrification, which rapidly cools tissue to -196 degrees Celsius, transforming liquids into an amorphous glass-like state rather than allowing crystallization. The team applied this technique to mouse hippocampus slices and stored them for periods ranging from ten minutes to one week. Upon rewarming and analysis, neuronal and synaptic membranes remained intact, with tests indicating preserved functional activity. This breakthrough represents significant progress toward viable brain cryopreservation.
Read at Mail Online
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