X-Message-Number: 6415 From: Brian Wowk <> Date: Sat, 29 Jun 1996 01:05:39 -0500 Subject: Vitrification Progress Correcting an incorrect statement in Life Extension Magazine, Thomas Donaldson clarifies that Greg Fahy cannot yet reversibly vitrify kidneys. But this does not tell the whole story, especially from a cryonics perspective. I too have recently spoke to Greg Fahy. The fact is that Dr. Fahy can now reversibly cryopreserve kidneys with about a 50% success rate from high sub-zero temperatures (in one case as low as -45'C). The chief obstacle to going to lower temperatures was the need for an rf heating system to rapidly rewarm from -130'C without devitrification. This appartus is finally on-line (after years of FDA red tape) and we should know by the end of this year what happens to vitrified kidneys rewarmed from -130'C. The important point for cryonicists is this: Greg's vitrification protocol has (50% of the time) been shown to provide essentially perfect ultrasturctural preservation of kidney's at high sub-zero temperatures. Moreover, because these kidney's are vitrified (not frozen) *no additional damage is expected to occur* all the way down to -130'C. In short, for the first time ever, a nascent technology exists for preserving a large complex organ with excellent integrity at temperatures compatible with long-term storage. If Dr. Fahy's work-- EVEN AS IT EXISTS NOW --could be adapted to brains, it would be a quantum leap forward in cryonics technology. I think there is a good chance this kidney work may be wrapped in as little as two years. What then? We in the cryonics community must start gathering our resources and resolve NOW to persuade scientists such as Dr. Fahy that their next target should be THE BRAIN. If not, competing organ interests will quickly absorb the attention of these scientists, monopolizing their talent for years to come. This cannot be allowed to happen! *************************************************************************** Brian Wowk CryoCare Foundation 1-800-TOP-CARE President Human Cryopreservation Services http://www.cryocare.org/cryocare/ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6415