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Functional studies on human veins after storage at--190 degrees C
British Journal of Pharmacology
|July 1, 1986
Summary
Cryopreservation of human saphenous veins using dimethylsulphoxide is effective. Frozen and thawed veins maintained contractile function and monoamine oxidase activity, supporting their use in pharmacological research.
Area of Science:
- Vascular biology
- Cryobiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Human saphenous veins are valuable for pharmacological research.
- Effective methods for long-term storage of vascular tissues are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of cryopreserving human saphenous veins.
- To assess the functional and biochemical integrity of cryopreserved veins.
Main Methods:
- Human saphenous veins were cryopreserved using 1.8 M dimethylsulphoxide, slow freezing to -70°C, and storage in liquid nitrogen (-190°C).
- In vitro studies compared contractile force development and monoamine oxidase activity between unfrozen and cryopreserved/thawed vein segments.
- Pharmacological responses to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor agonists and antagonists were assessed.
Main Results:
- Contractile force development in thawed veins was comparable to unfrozen controls.
- Monoamine oxidase activity remained unimpaired after cryopreservation and thawing.
- Good correlation was observed in receptor agonist and antagonist activities between fresh and cryopreserved tissues.
Conclusions:
- Cryopreservation is a viable technique for storing human saphenous veins for pharmacological studies.
- The functional and biochemical properties of veins are preserved following this cryopreservation protocol.