X-Message-Number: 6875 Date: Tue, 10 Sep 96 18:49:26 From: Steve Bridge <> Subject: More on Rat hearts To CryoNet >From Steve Bridge, Alcor September 10, 1996 In reply to: Message #6865 Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 19:56:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Charles Platt <> Subject: Rat Hearts >paper by the father of cryobiology, Basile Luyet, describing >an experiment in which he froze pieces of rat hearts after >perfusion with 20 percent ethylene glycol. After being >rewarmed, 44 percent of the heart pieces resumed rhythmic >contractions. The paper by Luyet was titled "Resumption of >contractions after freezing in liquid nitrogen in small >pieces of rat heart containing pacemaking centers." >Naturally, I am eager to learn in what respect the recently >reported experiment with rat hearts differs from the >experiment performed by Luyet twenty-five years ago. Could >we get some more information on this, please? Charles, we won't be able to give much in the way of answers to that question until the *Cryobiology* article is published. The Vissers themselves may have something they can say which would not violate their agreement with the journal; however, we (Alcor and CI) cannot discuss the technology in any kind of detail here yet. One major difference I CAN report is that these were entire working hearts, surgically removed from the rats, perfused so they continued to beat on their own, then frozen. The thawed and reperfused hearts (not cut-up pieces) exhibited seemingly normal heartbeat (coordinated) in all chambers. It looked to me like a good rat cardiac surgeon could have then transplanted the heart back into a rat. That sounds different to me. Stephen Bridge, President () Alcor Life Extension Foundation Non-profit cryonic suspension services since 1972. 7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916 Phone (602) 922-9013 (800) 367-2228 FAX (602) 922-9027 for general requests http://www.alcor.org Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=6875