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A Microfluidic Approach for the Study of Ice and Clathrate Hydrate Crystallization
Published on: August 18, 2022
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Cooling dynamics of droplets exposed to solid surface freezing and vitrification
Dejia Liu1, Harriëtte Oldenhof1, Xing Luo2
1Biostabilization Laboratory - Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development, Hannover, Germany; Unit for Reproductive Medicine - Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
Cryobiology
|March 6, 2024
Summary
Solid surface vitrification (SSV) and freezing (SSF) enhance cryopreservation cooling rates. Glycerol solutions cool faster than DMSO, with higher rates at lower concentrations, and 40% glycerol shows better red blood cell cryopreservation than DMSO.
Area of Science:
- Cryobiology
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Solid surface freezing/vitrification (SSF/SSV) offers higher cooling rates than liquid nitrogen immersion for cryopreservation.
- This method involves depositing sample droplets onto a pre-cooled metal surface.
- Achieving higher cooling rates can lead to improved cryosurvival rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To numerically simulate the cooling dynamics of cryoprotective agent (CPA) solutions during SSF/SSV.
- To investigate the influence of CPA type (glycerol vs. DMSO), concentration, and droplet size on cooling rates.
- To experimentally validate simulation findings and assess cryopreservation outcomes for human red blood cells (RBCs).
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulations of droplet cooling dynamics, modeling cylindrical bottom and half-ellipsoidal top shapes.
- Utilized literature data for material properties (density, heat capacity, thermal conductivity), employing polynomial fitting for extrapolation.
- Experimental cryopreservation of human RBCs using SSV/SSF with varying CPA types and concentrations.
Main Results:
- Glycerol (GLY) solutions exhibited faster cooling compared to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions.
- Cooling rates increased with decreasing CPA concentration.
- At 40% (w/w) CPA, glycerol demonstrated superior cryopreservation of RBCs compared to DMSO, indicated by lower hemolysis rates.
Conclusions:
- Cooling dynamics in SSF/SSV are significantly influenced by CPA type and concentration.
- Glycerol shows potential advantages over DMSO for RBC cryopreservation at higher concentrations.
- Numerical simulations provide valuable insights into optimizing SSF/SSV protocols for enhanced cryopreservation outcomes.
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