X-Message-Number: 23640
From: "Basie" <>
Subject: mechanical damage by ice crystals is nonsense.
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 23:49:11 -0500

It is clear that so called mechanical damage by ice crystals is nonsense.
Under certain cold conditions the cell membrane become destabilized. Enzymes
then leak out. One can speculate by simple infusing certain specific enzyme
inhibitors before freezing enough of the cells can then be recovered in the
far future to bring a suspended person back.

The Effects of Freezing on Cells in Suspension

This section examines the effects of freezing on cells suspended in
cryoprotectants, with the special effects of supercooling examined in
detail. Vitrification, described in Appendix E , is an alternative approach
to cryopreservation which avoids ice formation. The special case of freezing
cellular tissues is discussed elsewhere (ovarian and testicular tissue)

Following ice nucleation in the suspending medium, cells in suspension are
not mechanically damaged by ice nor are they punctured by ice crystals. This
is clearly shown in the following video sequence which shows the growth of
extracellular ice induced at a low level of undercooling around a human
oocyte.

This paper can be found at
http://www.asymptote.co.uk/process/cryo/cryoguide/report/effects.htm

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