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Published on: May 5, 2017
Bioinspired Ice-Binding Materials for Tissue and Organ Cryopreservation
Zhang Liu1, Xia Zheng1,2, Jianjun Wang1,2,3
1Key Laboratory of Green Printing, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Science, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, PR China.
Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) show promise for tissue cryopreservation, but their use is controversial. This perspective analyzes the controversy and suggests future research directions for developing effective ice-binding materials as new cryoprotective agents (CPAs).
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Cryobiology
Background:
- Cryopreservation of tissues and organs is crucial for medicine but faces challenges due to conventional cryoprotective agents (CPAs).
- Current CPAs exhibit cytotoxicity and are inefficient at controlling ice formation, limiting their effectiveness for larger biological structures.
- Nature utilizes ice-binding proteins (IBPs) to prevent freezing damage in organisms, offering a potential alternative for cryopreservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the controversial results regarding the use of IBPs and their mimics in tissue cryopreservation.
- To identify the reasons behind the reported superiorities and detrimental effects of IBPs in tissue cryopreservation.
- To predict future research directions for designing novel IBP-inspired materials as advanced CPAs.
Main Methods:
- Review and analysis of existing literature on IBPs and their application in cryopreservation.
- Discussion of cryo-injuries and limitations of conventional CPAs.
- Exploration of the mechanisms of ice formation control by natural IBPs.
Main Results:
- Contradictory findings exist regarding the efficacy of IBPs and their mimics in tissue cryopreservation.
- Potential reasons for controversy include variations in IBP design, application methods, and tissue types.
- IBPs demonstrate unique ice-binding properties that could be harnessed for improved cryopreservation.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the controversy surrounding IBPs is essential for advancing tissue cryopreservation.
- Future research should focus on designing and constructing IBP-inspired materials with tailored ice-binding properties.
- Development of novel IBP-based CPAs holds significant potential for transformative applications in medicine and medical science.
