Reanimation of Myocardial Cells preserved in the Frozen State

Abstract

AFTER the discovery in 1949 of the protective action of glycerol against damage arising from freezing and thawing of spermatozoa¹, many investigators have succeeded in freezing different cell types, for example, erythrocytes^2,3 and lymphocytes, and cultured tissues with a considerable degree of survival. For certain cell types dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) acts as a better cryoprotective substance than glycerol^4,5. It has not yet been possible, however, to obtain satisfactory results in the low-temperature preservation of myocardial cells. In a recent publication⁶ it was stated that 80 to 90 per cent of the myocardial cells in suspension were lysed during freezing; only 5 to 20 per cent of the surviving cells manifested spontaneous beating. We now describe a method for preserving myocardial cells at − 196° C, with a high degree of recovery after thawing.