Cryopreservation describes how to preserve living organisms and certain other biological materials. The main focus of this preservation is its low temperature. The core of this process lies in using nitrogen in its liquid state. This facilitates successful cryogenic freezing and, subsequently, the success of cryopreservation. The advancements in this area are now fostering the opening of several cell banking facilities and ex vivo preservation centers for use in biological processes.
Cryopreservation preserves eggs, sperm, or embryos, enabling individuals to maintain fertility for future family planning.
The low-temperature preservation cultures significantly developed in the 1800s. However, after around half a century, it was observed that the osmotic stress resulted in many cell deaths while practicing this low-temperature preservation. Research on cryopreservation states osmotic stress, thawing, and cooling rates to be significant factors contributing to cell deaths.
Read on to know what it is and how it can help preserve your fertility in the long run
Sneak-peek into What Cryopreservation Is
The word ‘cryo’ traces its origin to the Greek word ‘kayos’, which translates to ‘frost.’ Cryopreservation is a frozen-state preservation technique for cooling and storing cells, tissues, and organs at extremely low temperatures. The idea here is to maintain their viability. The process is performed with the use of the following:
- Low-temperature deep freezer maintained at – 80 degrees
- Solid carbon dioxide maintained at – 79 degrees
- In liquid nitrogen, maintained at – 196 degrees
- In the vapor phase, nitrogen is maintained at -150 degrees
This technique is quite widely employed in freezing eggs after subjecting them to fertility testing. The primary purpose of this freezing egg technique is to support couples with their desire to have kids.
Cryopreservation Principles
According to the published research, cryopreservation has to do a lot with the effect of subzero temperatures on healthy tissues.
When a cell is exposed to temperatures below zero degrees without using cryoprotectants, the process turns out to be lethal for them. As cells contain 80% water, freezing this water influences harmful biochemical and structural changes. These are the results of an unprotected freezing injury. Unprotected cooling or thawing is against the rules of life. Cryoprotectants are employed to freeze cells while maintaining their viability to mitigate these effects.
How Is Cryopreservation Done?
The step-by-step procedure for performing cryopreservation is outlined below:
Harvesting the Desired Material
When selecting your biological material of interest, always consider its pH, density, volume, morphology, etc. The chosen material must also be undamaged.
Adding a Cryoprotectant
Glycerol, salts, sugars, and glycols find their potential as cryoprotectants in this low-temperature preservation technique. They accomplish the dual function of reducing the freezing point of the surrounding medium and slowing down the cooling rate.
Freezing
Different methods are applicable here to protect your cells from damage and death.
Storage in Liquid Medium
The cryopreserved samples are stored at temperatures much lower than zero or as indicated earlier.
Thawing
Thawing is the process of warming your cryopreserved biological samples. This is done to control the cell damage due to the high cooling rate.
Takeaway
Cryopreservation is an ideal low-temperature cooling and preservation method for biological samples. To ensure that your technique, such as egg freezing at low temperature, yields the desired results, they are subjected to desired fertility testing before cryopreservation.
Testing biological samples before subjecting them to low-temperature storage is essential to preserving them in their most viable state. Are you or your loved one looking for cryopreservation options? Talk to your healthcare provider about cryopreservation today!
