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Published on: May 5, 2017
Flash freezing of erythrocyte suspensions
D Mantzavinos1, A I Bailey, M W Rampling
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
Biorheology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Flash freezing blood aerosols using hydroxyethyl starch (HES) cryoprotectant significantly reduced cellular damage compared to bulk freezing. This method preserved cellular deformability, offering a promising alternative for blood preservation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cryobiology
- Hematology
Background:
- Bulk freezing of whole blood causes significant cellular damage due to ice crystals and osmotic stress.
- Effective cryopreservation of blood components is crucial for transfusion medicine and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate flash freezing of blood aerosols as a method to mitigate cellular damage during cryopreservation.
- To evaluate the efficacy of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) as a cryoprotectant in this process.
Main Methods:
- Whole blood and erythrocyte suspensions were spray-frozen as aerosols onto liquid nitrogen using commercial devices.
- Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) was used as a cryoprotectant.
- Cellular integrity and viability were assessed by measuring rheological properties and hemolysis.
Main Results:
- Bulk freezing, even with HES, led to complete cellular destruction.
- Flash freezing reduced hemolysis to 12.6% and preserved cellular deformability.
- Some spraying devices induced high shear stress, affecting cell susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- Flash freezing of blood aerosols is a viable method for cryopreservation, significantly reducing cellular damage.
- HES is an effective cryoprotectant for this technique.
- Further optimization of spraying devices is needed to minimize shear stress effects.
