X-Message-Number: 16944
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 08:04:32 -0700
Subject: Re: Cryo-Surgery
From: Ivan Snyder <>

>>If body parts frozen to cryogenic temperatures can be thawed and
transplanted, why is there a problem with thawing an entire body?
Joseph W. Morgan

Hi Joe and all,
No problem in thawing really. It's the freezing part that's tricky. Ice
crystals rupture cell membranes. Alot of cold blooded creatures which go
through seasonal freezing in nature have adapted to get around this by
producing natural cryoprotectants such as glycerol, which by the way is
one chemical also used in cryonics. The reason cold blooded creatures
cryosuspend more easily is that they are able to withstand greater
dehydration, which is part of cryoprotection. Also, they have better
inherent regenerative ability than us. But we are getting there.
Ivan Snyder
Hermosa Beach
California
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