X-Message-Number: 6366
From: Brian Wowk <>
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 18:23:09 -0500
Subject: Re: Importance of Brain Cryopreservation

John Elliott () writes:

>Do I understand correctly that kidneys can now be preserved
>using vitrification?  If so are the organ banks currently
>making use of this technology?

	No.  While the preservation is virtually perfect
(no ice crystals, no injury, no cryoprotectant toxicity),
there are still problems with the rewarming technology.
For details, check out:

  http://www.access.digex.net/~kfl/les/cryonet/5096.html 

These problems are largely technical (no biological
"show stoppers") and even bureaucratic (FDA-related).

	For cryonics purposes, once a brain is perfectly
preserved at -130'C, you have all the time in the world
to build rewarming technology.  Cryonics would be virtually
certain to work.

	With today's cryonics technology (glycerol perfusion)
we face a Hobson's choice between severe mechanical damage
(low glycerol concentration) and dissolved cell membranes(!)
(high glycerol concentration).  In short, the brains of
today's patients are ultrastructurally a mess compared to
vitrified kidneys. 

***************************************************************************
Brian Wowk          CryoCare Foundation               1-800-TOP-CARE
President           Human Cryopreservation Services   
   http://www.cryocare.org/cryocare/

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