X-Message-Number: 9384
Date: Wed, 01 Apr 1998 16:32:44 +0800
From: Robert Horley <>
Subject: Pre-Freezing Protocol

Hi:

In the latest edition of "New Scientist" there was an article about a new
protocol being used to prepare pig embryos for reversable freezing.  It
seems from the article that the cells in a pig embryo are more
(differentiated) than those in most other animals and freezing usually
irreversibly damages them. The villians were apparently the microfilaments
that help cells to keep their shape.

The solution was to perfuse the cells with cytochalasin, which broke down
the microfilaments into simpler structures which weren't damaged on
freezing.  On thawing, the cells are able to rebuild these simpler
structures into the correct microfilaments once more.

Is anyone using a similar protocol in their experiments with freezing and
thawing fully differentiated organisms?

Sincerely
Robert Horley

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