Vitrification, encapsulation-vitrification and droplet-vitrification: a review

Area of Science:

• Plant Science
• Cryopreservation Technology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Vitrification is a key cryopreservation technique that avoids intracellular ice formation by solidifying solutions into a glass-like state.
• Standard vitrification, encapsulation-vitrification, and droplet-vitrification are derived protocols with increasing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the development and application of vitrification techniques in plant cryopreservation.
• To highlight the importance of successive steps in vitrification protocols.

Main Methods:

• Detailed description of the standard vitrification protocol involving sucrose loading, PVS2 dehydration, and rapid freezing.
• Explanation of encapsulation-vitrification using alginate beads for explant protection.
• Outline of droplet-vitrification with microdroplets on aluminum foil for rapid immersion in liquid nitrogen.

Main Results:

• Vitrification enables cryopreservation of plant samples without detrimental ice damage.
• Over 100 plant species from temperate and tropical origins have been successfully preserved using these methods.
• The routine application and large-scale testing of these vitrification protocols are expanding.

Conclusions:

• Vitrification techniques, including standard, encapsulation-vitrification, and droplet-vitrification, are effective for plant cryopreservation.
• These methods are crucial for preserving biodiversity across a wide range of plant species.
• The ongoing development and application of vitrification promise broader use in plant conservation and propagation.