Thawed Frozen Human Brain Tissue Functions Perfectly 18 Months Later
In promising developments for future leaders in animation, a potential method for reviving frozen brains without causing damage may be on the horizon. Chinese scientists have created a new chemical mixture that enables frozen brain tissue to regain functionality.
Freezing is successful in preserving organic material by preventing decomposition, yet it inflicts damage. When water within the material freezes, the resulting ice crystals can tear apart the cells. This is why defrosted meat or fruit tends to become mushy.
However, a more critical issue arises when organs or tissues intended for transplant or research undergo the same process.
In their recent research, scientists at Fudan University in China conducted experiments with different chemical compounds to identify those capable of preserving living brain tissue during freezing.
They began by assessing promising chemicals on brain organoids, which are small, artificially grown clusters of brain tissue that mature into various types of related cells.
Chemical Protection and Freezing Process Evaluation
Immersing the organoids in various chemicals, researchers then froze them in liquid nitrogen for 24 hours. Following this, they quickly thawed the organoids in warm water and monitored them over time to assess functionality, growth, and signs of cellular damage.
The chemicals demonstrating the best protection for the mini-brains advanced to the next phase, involving testing different combinations in similar freezing and thawing experiments.
After several rounds of testing, the researchers identified the most promising mixture, named MEDY, composed of methylcellulose, ethylene glycol, DMSO, and Y27632. Researchers grew mini-brains at various stages of development, ranging from four weeks to over three months. They then froze these mini-brains in MEDY, thawed them, and monitored them for several weeks afterward.
Growth and Functionality Comparable to Unfrozen Organoids
Remarkably, brain organoids preserved in MEDY exhibited growth and functional patterns similar to those never subjected to freezing. Intriguingly, one batch frozen in MEDY for up to 18 months still displayed comparable protections against damage upon thawing.
Additionally, the team froze samples of living brain tissue obtained from a patient with epilepsy and found that MEDY offered protection from damage.
Importantly, the process did not disrupt the structure of brain cells and preserved epilepsy pathologies. This significance lies in allowing samples to be frozen for future study or analysis without compromising the results due to the freezing process.
This new freezing technology immediately enables the storage of brain organoids and samples for extended periods for biomedical research. However, its potential applications could eventually extend to whole brains and other tissues.
Read the original article on: New Atlas
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