Tissue cryobanking for conservation programs: effect of tissue type and storage time after death

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Science
• Cell Biology
• Cryobiology

Background:

• Establishing reliable methods for preserving animal cells is crucial for research and biobanking.
• Understanding post-mortem tissue storage limits is essential for maximizing cell viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the temporal post-mortem limits for obtaining viable cells from sheep and cattle tissues.
• To evaluate the effect of vitrification on cell viability after different storage durations.

Main Methods:

• Muscle and auricular cartilage tissues from sheep and cattle were stored at 4°C for up to 216 hours post-mortem.
• Tissues were divided into two groups: immediate in vitro culture and vitrification followed by in vitro culture.
• Cellular growth rates, time to confluence, and population doubling times (PDT) were assessed.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in subconfluence rates or time to confluence were observed between vitrified and non-vitrified groups across storage times.
• Sheep muscle cell PDT increased with longer storage times (216 hpm vs. 5 hpm).
• Bovine cartilage cell PDT was longer in vitrified tissues compared to non-vitrified tissues.

Conclusions:

• Living cells can be obtained from sheep and cattle tissues stored up to 216 hours post-mortem at 4°C.
• Vitrification effects varied between species and tissue types but did not preclude cell recovery.
• These findings support the use of cartilage and muscle tissues for cryobanking after extended cold storage.