Cryobiology Department

The technology of cryopreservation gives us the possibility of interfering with the clockwork by stopping biological time. Cryopreservation of a cell involves the cooling of a cell and storage at a temperature where all metabolic processes are arrested. In practice, frozen cells are stored at the temperature of -196^oC in liquid nitrogen.

The freezing of single cells is considered very simple, since only the physicochemical characteristics of one specific type of cells must be taken into account in predictions of the response to freezing.

Paradoxically, sperm cells and oocytes are single cells but seem rather sensitive to cryopreservation and thawing stress. This may be related to their highly specialized structure and fusion of reconstituting an entire organism from the fusion of two single cells. Except the cryopreservation of sperm and oocytes, could also be stored stem cells.

Most common cryopreserved materials are:

1. Semen and oocytes
2. Testicular tissue (TESE)
3. Embryos

4. Stem cells

For extra information regarding cryopreservation:

http://www.ivfclinicsworldwide.com/treatments/egg-ovarian-tissue-freezing/

http://www.ivfclinicsworldwide.com/treatments/cryopreservation-of-embryos/

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