He Yuan Li Ji

Why do protective agents need to be added to cell cryopreservation?

Pubtime：2024-04-28

View volume：55

Cell cryopreservation is a technique that places cells in a low-temperature environment to reduce cellular metabolism for long-term storage. When cells are frozen without any protective agents, the water inside and outside the cell quickly forms crystals, leading to a series of adverse reactions: firstly, some proteins denature due to increased local electrolyte concentration and pH changes, resulting in changes in the internal spatial structure of the cell. Secondly, the formation of ice crystals within cells and the denaturation of proteins and enzymes on the cell membrane system can limit the energy metabolism of cells. Once again, the lipid protein complexes on the cell membrane are prone to damage during freezing, leading to changes in membrane permeability and loss of cellular contents. Finally, as the freezing temperature decreases, the volume expansion of ice crystals causes damage to the spatial structure of DNA, leading to cell death. Adding cryoprotectants can effectively improve cell damage and death.

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