Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Vitreous cryopreservation maintains the function of vascular grafts

Nature Biotechnology volume 18, pages 296–299 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Avoidance of ice formation during cooling can be achieved by vitrification, which is defined as solidification in an amorphous glassy state that obviates ice nucleation and growth. We show that a vitrification approach to storing vascular tissue results in markedly improved tissue function compared with a standard method involving freezing. The maximum contractions achieved in vitrified vessels were >80% of fresh matched controls with similar drug sensitivities, whereas frozen vessels exhibited maximal contractions below 30% of controls and concomitant decreases in drug sensitivity. In vivo studies of vitrified vessel segments in an autologous transplant model showed no adverse effects of vitreous cryopreservation compared with fresh tissue grafts.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Contractile responses for frozen or vitrified vein rings in response to a panel of agonists.
Figure 2: Maximal smooth muscle precontraction and relaxation in fresh, vitrified, and frozen veins.
Figure 3: Contractile dose/response curves for fresh, frozen, and vitrified veins.
Figure 4: Micrographs of rabbit jugular vein segments cryosubstituted with methanol at −90°C from frozen (A), or vitrified (B–D) tissue.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Taylor, M.J. in Transplantation immunology: clinical and experimental (ed. Calne, R.Y.) 360–390 (Oxford University Press, New York, NY; 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Pegg, D.E., Jacobsen, I.A., Armitage, W.J. & Taylor, M.J. in Organ preservation II (eds Pegg, D.E. & Jacobsen, I.A.) 132–146 (Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, UK; 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Pegg, D.E. in Progress in transplantation (eds Morris, P.J. & Tilney, N.L.) 69–105 (Churchill Livingston, Edinburgh, UK; 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Pegg, D.E. in The biophysics of organ preservation (eds Pegg, D.E. & Karow, A.M.) 117–140 (Plenum, New York, NY; 1987).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Hunt, C.J., Taylor, M.J. & Pegg, D.E. Freeze-substitution and isothermal freeze fixation studies to elucidate the pattern of ice formation on smooth muscle at 252 K (−21 C). J. Microsc. 125, 177–186 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Taylor, M.J. & Pegg, D.E. The effect of ice formation on the function of smooth muscle tissue following storage at −21 C and −60 C. Cryobiology 20, 36–40 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Jacobsen, I.A. et al. Effect of cooling rate and warming rate on glycerolized rabbit kidneys. Cryobiology 21, 637–653 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fahy, G.M. in Biophysics of organ cryopreservation (eds Pegg, D.E. & Karow, A.M.) 265–297 (Plenum, New York, NY; 1987).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Fahy, G.M. in Low temperature biotechnology: emerging applications and engineering contributions (eds McGrath, J.J. & Diller, K.R.) 113–146 (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, NY; 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fahy, G.M., MacFarlane, D.R., Angell, C.A. & Meryman, H.T. Vitrification as an approach to cryopreservation. Cryobiology 21, 407–426 (1984).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Fahy, G.M., Levy, D. & Ali, S.E. Some emerging principles underlying the physical properties, biological actions, and utility of vitrification solutions. Cryobiology 24, 196–213 (1987).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Farrant, J. Mechanism of cell damage during freezing and thawing and its prevention. Nature 205, 1284–1287 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Elford, B.C. Diffusion and distribution of dimethyl sulphoxide in the isolated guinea-pig Taenia coli. J. Physiol. 209, 187–208 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Elford, B.C. & Walter, C.A. Preservation of structure and function of smooth muscle cooled to −79°C in unfrozen aqueous media. Nat. New Biol. 236, 58–60 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Elford, B.C. & Walter, C.A. Effects of electrolyte composition and pH on the structure and function of smooth muscle cooled to −79°C in unfrozen media. Cryobiology, 9, 82–100 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Kent, K.C., Whittemore, A.D. & Mannick, J.A. Short term and midterm results of an all-autogenous tissue policy for infrainguinal reconstruction. J. Vasc. Surg. 9, 107–114 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. McNally, R.T., Walsh, K. & Richardson, W. Early clinical evaluation of cryopreserved allograft vein. Cryobiology 29, 702. (1992).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Walker, P.J., Mitchell, R.S., McFadden, P.M., James, D.R. & Mehigan, J.T. Early experience with cryopreserved saphenous vein allografts as a conduit for complex limb-salvage procedures. J. Vasc. Surg. 18, 561–569 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Bilfinger, T.V., Hartman, A.R., Liu, Y., Magazine, H.I. & Stefano, G.B. Cryopreserved veins in myocardial revascularization: possible mechanism for their increased failure. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 63, 1063–1069 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Brockbank, K.G.M. Effects of cryopreservation upon vein function in vivo. Cryobiology 31, 71–81 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Song, Y.C., Hunt, C.J. & Pegg, D.E. Cryopreservation of the common carotid artery of the rabbit. Cryobiology 31, 317–329 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Song, Y.C., Pegg, D.E. & Hunt, C.J. Cryopreservation of the common carotid artery of the rabbit: optimization of dimethyl sulfoxide concentration and cooling rate. Cryobiology 32, 405–421 (1995).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. McNally, R.T., McCaa, C., Brockbank, K.G.M., Heacox, A.E. & Bank, H.L. Method for cryopreserving blood vessels. CryoLife, Inc. and Medical University of South Carolina. US Patent 5,145,769 (1992).

  24. Finney, D.J. in Statistical methods in biological assay (ed. Finney, D.J.) 349–369 (Charles Griffin, London, 1978).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Faggioli, G.I. et al. Long term cryopreservation of autologous veins in rabbits. Cardiovasc. Surg. 2, 259–265 (1994).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Elmore, J.R., Gloviczki, P., Brockbank, K.G.M. & Miller, V.M. Cryopreservation affects endothelial and smooth muscle function of canine autogenous saphenous vein grafts. J. Vasc. Surg. 13, 584–592 (1991).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Rall, W.F. & Fahy, G. Ice-free cryopreservation of mouse embryos at −196°C by vitrification. Nature 313, 573–575 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Mehl, P. Nucleation and crystal growth in a vitrification solution tested for organ cryopreservation by vitrification. Cryobiology 30, 509–518 (1993).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bateson, E.A.J., Busza, A.L., Pegg, D.E. & Taylor, M.J. Permeation of common carotid arteries with dimethyl sulfoxide. Cryobiology 31, 393–397 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Davies, M.G. et al. Controlling transplant vasculopathy in cryopreserved vein grafts with polyethylene glycol and glutathione during transport. Eur. J. Vasc. Endovasc. Surg. 17, 493–500 (1999)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Motulsky, H. Intuitive biostatistics (Oxford University Press, New York, NY; 1995).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Excellent technical assistance was provided by Janet Boggs, Beth Greene, and Kim McCourry. We thank Otto Hagen for advice relating to the physiological aspects of this study. This work was supported in part by a cooperative agreement (#97-07-0039) with the US Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards Technology–Advanced Technology Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Organ Recovery Systems, Inc., 701 East Bay Street, Charleston, 29403, SC, USA

    Ying C. Song, Bijan S. Khirabadi, Fred Lightfoot, Kelvin G.M. Brockbank & Michael J. Taylor

Authors
  1. Ying C. Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bijan S. Khirabadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fred Lightfoot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kelvin G.M. Brockbank
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Michael J. Taylor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael J. Taylor.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Song, Y., Khirabadi, B., Lightfoot, F. et al. Vitreous cryopreservation maintains the function of vascular grafts. Nat Biotechnol 18, 296–299 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/73737

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/73737

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing