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PubMed1988

Effect of dipolar aprotic permeability enhancers on the basal stratum corneum.

The effect of dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, and dimethyl acetamide on the basal stratum corneum of excised nude mouse skin was investigated. All of these dipolar aprotic solvents caused a swelling of the basal stratum corneum cells and a disruption of the normal keratin pattern. This behavior suggests that dipolar aprotic solvents might alter the barrier properties of the basal stratum corneum cells. To test this hypothesis, the distribution of topically applied, electron-dense divalent metal ions (Hg2+ and Ni2+) was studied in excised nude mouse skin which had been perturbed by the application of dipolar aprotic solvents, and in controls which had not been so treated. In control skin membranes, Hg2+ and Ni2+ were located almost exclusively in the intercellular space of the stratum corneum. However, with the application of a dipolar aprotic solvent, Hg2+ and Ni2+ were found in the intercellular spaces and inside the basal stratum corneum cells, where they appeared to be primarily associated with the cytoplasmic filaments. Sulfide precipitation allowed for the localization of Hg2+ and Ni2+, and subsequent chemical identification by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The spatial resolution of X-ray microanalysis studies was approximately 0.5-0.75 micron. The spatial alteration in mercury and nickel precipitate distribution, which occurs when the skin is pretreated with a dipolar aprotic solvent, is consistent with the hypothesis that the pathway of Hg2+ and Ni2+ diffusion through the basal stratum corneum has also been modified.

Acetamides↗
PubMed1988

Ab initio investigation of interactions between models of local anesthetics and receptor: complexes involving amine, phosphate, amide, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl-.

Ab initio molecular orbital methods are used to study the interactions between models of local anesthetic molecules and the putative receptors within the nerve membrane: phospholipids and lipoproteins. The tertiary amine terminus of local anesthetics was modeled by ionized and un-ionized trimethylamine, while phosphate monoanion and formamide emulated the appropriate portions of the receptor. The protonated amine forms a very strong complex with the phosphate anion in which the charge is transferred to the phosphate. While somewhat weaker than this, the complex involving the amine (in either its ionized or un-ionized state) and peptide is considerably stronger than interpeptide H bonds, suggesting the anesthetic can disrupt the normal H-bond patterns in a protein. On the other hand, such interactions must compete with the rather tight binding of the anesthetic with the Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl- ions present in vivo.

Amides↗
PubMed1991

Ab initio investigation of interactions between models of membrane-active compounds and polar groups of membranes: complexes involving amine, ether, amide, phosphate, and carboxylate.

Ab initio (MINI-1) molecular orbital calculations were performed on model systems to investigate the hydrogen bonds and proton transfer between antiarrhythmics and polar groups of the cell membrane. Methylamine cation, dimethyl ether, and N-methylacetamide served as models of associative sites for the antiarrhythmics mexiletine and tocainide. Formate and phosphate anions, the methylamine cation, and formamide were chosen as models for the membrane polar groups. Protonated methylamine forms a very strong complex with the formate and phosphate anions. However, the formate COO- group is a better proton acceptor than the phosphate PO4- group. The effect of specific hydration on the proton potential functions was investigated in the HCOO- ... +HNH2CH3 and H2PO4- ... +HNH2CH3 systems. The proton potential functions, calculated at the equilibrium distances RO ... N, with a single minimum were found. The ab initio calculations at the longer RO ... N = 0.275 nm distance indicate double-minimum potentials. The increasing hydration stabilizes a second minimum corresponding to the charged O- ... +HN structures. The complexes involving the amide and ether groups of tocainide and mexiletine and the protonated primary amine group of the membrane are considerably weaker. The weakest hydrogen bonds are formed by the amine group of the drug (in its neutral and ionized state) with the peptide group.

Amides↗
PubMed1976

Chromosomally depleted interspecific hybrid cell clones selected with cytotoxic antisera: utilization in the study of control of murine leukemia virus host-range.

A chromosomally stable mouse-Chinese hamster hybrid cell line was subjected to five rounds of selection with cytotoxic antisera raised in rabbits against either the parental mouse 3T3 cells or the parental Chinese hamster Wg-1 cells. Routine karyological analysis of clones isolated at each stage of serum selection revealed that treatment with either serum resulted in a limited loss of chromosomes (compared to the untreated hybrid cell cultured in parallel) and that the pattern of chromosome loss could not be correlated with the particular antiserum used for selection. However, more detailed analysis with the SSC-formamide C-banding technique, which identifies chromosomes containing a mouse centromere region, demonstrated that while large-scale chromosome loss was not achieved as a result of antiserum selection, the limited loss of chromosomes did, in fact, reflect a specific depletion of chromosomes in response to treatment with cytotoxic antiserum. Specific chromosomal elimination was shown to occur as early as the first round of antiserum treatment. Antigenic analysis of the serum-selected clones revealed a quantitative decrease in the expression of the species-specific surface antigens selected against, but no qualitative loss of antigens was detected. The results suggest that treatment with cytotoxic antiserum may select for clones that have lost specific chromosomes bearing genes regulating the expression of species-specific surface antigens, rather than for those demonstrating large-scale depletion of chromosomes bearing the corresponding structural genes. Some of these chromosomally depleted hybrid cell clones have been used (along with pseudotype viruses containing the genome of vesicular stomatitis virus within the envelope of murine leukemia virus, VSV [MuLV]), to study the mechanisms regulating MuLV replication in Chinese hamster cells. The results indicate that the restriction of MuLV replication in Chinese hamster cells operates at two levels: (a) an inability to adsorb to or penetrate Chinese hamster cells; and (b) an additional intracellular block which is dominant in the mouse-Chinese hamster hybrid cell clones examined. This latter block is presently under study.

Antigens↗
PubMed2006

Preparation of particle-fixed silica monoliths used in capillary electrochromatography.

Fused-silica capillarieswere packed with porous 1 microm bare silica microspheres and immobilized by potassium silicate-formamide in order to obtain columns with silica-based monolithic packing. After curing, the particle-fixed monolithic columns were octadecylated insitu with dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane. The columns were mechanically strong and permeable. No noticeable loss in efficiency was found after using a column continuously for 1 month. The performances of the particle-fixed silica monolithic columns were evaluated for CEC under RP conditions. High separation efficiency (about125 200 plates/m) was obtained by using these new types of columns.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Quantitation of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline DNA adducts in specific sequences using alkali or uvrABC excinuclease.

2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MelQx) are carcinogens found in cooked meats that form DNA adducts upon metabolic activation. Purified DNA from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was reacted in vitro with the active metabolites N-acetoxy-IQ or N-acetoxy-MelQx, and the adduct levels in the 5' dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene and downstream region were quantitated by Southern hybridization. Adducted and restricted DNA was treated with Escherichia coli uvrABC excinuclease or alkali (0.1 N NaOH, 37 degrees C, 60 min) to incise DNA at IQ and MelQx adduct sites. The DNA was then denatured with formamide, electrophoresed on a neutral agarose gel, transferred to a support membrane, and hybridized with sequence-specific DNA probes. Both uvrABC and alkali reduced the intensity of Southern hybridization in proportion to the number of IQ or MelQx adducts in DNA, indicating that these adducts are substrates for uvrABC and that they form alkali-labile lesions in DNA. IQ and MelQx adduct levels were the same in the 5' DHFR gene and in the downstream region. Southern hybridization analysis of pBR322 containing known levels of IQ or MelQx adducts showed that the efficiency of cutting IQ or MelQx adducts by uvrABC excinuclease and alkali was approximately 30% and 15%, respectively. 32P-postlabeling studies examining adduct level in bulk DNA further showed that the adduct profiles were identical in pBR322, CHO DNA, and cultured CHO cells exposed to the reactive metabolites of IQ or MelQx. The results indicate that IQ and MelQx adducts can be quantitated in specific genomic sequences and that this method should be directly applicable to studies of gene-specific repair of these adducts in cultured cells.

Alkalies↗
PubMed1994

Mutation and altered expression of p53 genes in experimental rat bladder tumor cells.

p53 genes were analyzed for mutations and expression in a series of 24 tumors or hyperplastic lesions of the urinary bladder induced in F344 rats by carcinogen treatment. Of these, 18 were analyzed as short-term urothelial cultures. Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and DNA sequencing were used to detect alterations in p53 genes or cDNAs, and the relative amounts of p53 protein per cell were estimated by immunohistochemical staining. Missense substitutions were found in the exon 5-9 region of two of five cell cultures analyzed from lesions induced by the bladder carcinogen N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine. One of these was a papillary nodular hyperplasia, indicating that p53 mutations can be present in low- as well as high-stage/grade bladder lesions. p53 mutations were not found in the exon 5-9 region in cells of any of eight bladder lesions induced by N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2- thiazoly]formamide (FANFT), including five transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs), or either of two TCCs induced by N-methylnitrosourea. Two of nine TCCs induced by the N-glucuronide of N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene were found to have p53 mutations. One of these was evidently altered by three genetic events: a missense substitution in exon 8, a nonsense mutation in exon 6, and silencing of the "nonsense" allele (i.e., only the p53 missense mutation was detected). Immunohistochemical analysis with monoclonal antibody PAb240 (which preferentially binds to mutant p53 protein) detected p53 antigen only in those samples in which missense p53 mutations were found. With monoclonal antibody PAb421 (which detects mutant and wild-type p53), p53 antigen was also detected in cells from F542, a bladder tumor induced by FANFT in which no p53 mutations were found. Northern blot hybridization analysis showed that p53 transcripts were elevated twofold to threefold in several cases, including F542, suggesting that constitutive overexpression of wild-type p53 may occur in some bladder neoplasias. These data support the view that p53 may be involved in multiple rate-limiting steps in neoplastic transformation and may be a continuing target during bladder carcinogenesis. The data also contribute to evidence that certain chemical carcinogens may directly alter p53 genes during tumorigenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Changes in polyadenylation of lactate dehydrogenase-X mRNA during spermatogenesis in mice.

The expression of the mRNA for mouse testicular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH-X) was examined by RNA:cDNA hybridization in situ in the testis and by Northern analyses of meiotic and postmeiotic spermatogenic cell populations. Silver grains accumulated in cells inside the second layer from the periphery of the seminiferous tubule, confirming previous findings that LDH-X mRNA first appears in the spermatocyte and continues to accumulate until the late spermatid stage. Northern analyses showed that meiotic and postmeiotic cells contained 1.2 and 1.3 kb classes of hybridizing mRNA, respectively. RNase H digestion of oligo (dT)-hybridized RNA and poly(U)-Sepharose column chromatography with differential elution by formamide revealed that the difference in size of the two classes of mRNAs was due to the poly(A) tail length of the LDH-X mRNA. When the distribution of the LDH-X mRNA was examined across polysome gradients, both mRNAs were partially associated with polysomes. These results suggest that the changes in the polyadenylation of LDH-X mRNA were associated with the meiotic division during spermatogenesis in the mouse. They raise the possibility that the stable accumulation of the LDH-X mRNAs in the postmeiotic cells is enhanced by poly(A) tails of increased length.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

C-terminal sequencing method for proteins in polyacrylamide gel by the reaction of acetic anhydride.

A successive C-terminal amino acid truncation reaction with acetic anhydride was applied on proteins in polyacrylamide gel. Protein bands separated by conventional SDS-PAGE were excised, partially fixed in the gel with glutaraldehyde ethanol solution, dehydrated with ACN and subjected to the truncation reaction with acetic anhydride formamide solution. Pre-treatment of the gel with pyridine aqueous solution was found to enhance the truncation reaction yields. After the truncation reaction, the products were treated with an aqueous solution of dimethylaminoethanol to hydrolyze oxazolone rings at the C termini of the truncated products and O-acetylated products of serine, threonine and/or tyrosine. Several commercially available proteins of 10-40 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE, such as myoglobin, trypsin inhibitor, alpha-hemolysin, cytochrome c, chymotrypsin C chain, elastase, acylase and histone H4, were subjected to the C-terminal analysis. The truncated proteins were in-gel digested with trypsin and the extracted peptides were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS, giving rise to a series of molecular mass ions of the C-terminal truncated fragments corresponding to the C-terminal amino acid sequence of the relevant protein.

Acetic Anhydrides↗
PubMed2004

Experimental validation of theoretical potassium and sodium cation affinities of amides by mass spectrometric kinetic method measurements.

In this study the theoretical Gaussian-2 K(+)/Na(+) binding affinities (enthalpies) at 0 K (in kJ mol(-1)) for six amides in the order: formamide (109.2/138.5) < N-methylformamide (117.7/148.6) < acetamide (118.7/149.5) < N,N-dimethylformamide (123.9/156.4) < N-methylacetamide (125.6/157.7) < N,N-dimethylacetamide (129.2/162.6), reported previously (Siu et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2001; 114: 7045-7051), were validated experimentally by mass spectrometric kinetic method measurements. By monitoring the collision-induced dissociation (CID) of K(+)/Na(+)-bound heterodimers of the amides, the relative affinities were shown to be accurate to within +/-2 kJ mol(-1). With these six theoretical K(+)/Na(+) binding affinities as reference values, the absolute K(+)/Na(+) affinities of imidazole, 1-methylimidazole, pyridazine and 1,2-dimethoxyethane were determined by the extended kinetic method, and found to be consistent (to within +/-9 kJ mol(-1)) with literature experimental values obtained by threshold-CID, equilibrium high-pressure mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance/ligand-exchange equilibrium methods. A self-consistent resolution is proposed for the inconsistencies in the relative order of K(+)/Na(+) affinities of amides reported in the literature. These two sets of validated K(+) and Na(+) affinity values are useful as reference values in kinetic method measurements of K(+)/Na(+) affinity of model biological ligands, such as the K(+) affinities of aliphatic amino acids.

Amides↗
PubMed2002

Experimental validation of Gaussian-3 lithium cation affinities of amides: implications for the gas-phase lithium cation basicity scale.

Using a refined Gaussian-3 (G3) protocol, the highest level of ab initio calculations reported so far, we have established the Li+ cation binding enthalpy (affinity) at 0 K (in kJ mol-1) for formamide (195.7), N-methylformamide (209.2), N,N'-dimethylformamide (220.0), acetamide (211.7), N-methylacetamide (222.5), and N,N'-dimethylacetamide (230.1), with an estimated maximum uncertainty of +/-8 kJ mol-1. With these six theoretical lithium cation binding affinities as reference values, the absolute Li+ affinities of imidazole and dimethoxyethane were determined by the extended kinetic method, and by adopting the statistical data treatment protocol recently proposed by Armentrout. The Li+ affinities obtained for these two ligands are in good agreement (within 6 kJ mol-1) with recent values determined by the threshold collision-induced dissociation method, and consistent with the Li+ basicity values first reported by Taft and co-workers in 1990. Our study confirms that the previously suggested, and recently implemented, downward revision of Taft's original basicity scale by 10.9 kJ mol-1 is justified for ligands with revised basicities less than 151 kJ mol-1. However, for selected ligands with Li+ basicities greater than 151 kJ mol-1, including some of the six amides studied in this work, the reported discrepancy between theoretical and experimental estimates in the revised Li+ basicity scale of Burk et al. is likely to arise from experimental uncertainties.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1993

A method for quantitative recovery of DNA from plate lysates of bacteriophage lambda-derived clones.

A method is described for the purification of DNA from recombinant clones in lambda vectors. Plate lysates are used as the starting material, with the phage suspension being either loaded directly onto mini-cesium chloride two-step gradients or first subjected to precipitation with polyethylene glycol-8000 before application to the gradients. A single centrifugation step is used and the DNA is isolated from the harvested bacteriophage by incubation at room temperature with formamide followed by ethanol precipitation. The small-volume gradients were effective in isolating phage particles in the range of 1.0 to 12.5 x 10(11) pfu with quantitative recovery of approximately 7 micrograms DNA/10(11) pfu. The method was tested with a cDNA clone in lambda gt10 (as an example of a lambda-derived vector which gives a plate lysate with a high titer) and rat genomic fragments cloned into EMBL3A (for which the plate lysates are of low titer). For both vectors, the purified DNA appeared free of inhibitory contaminants as assessed by restriction endonuclease digestion and subcloning of fragments.

Bacteriophage lambda↗
PubMed1995

Direct solution hybridization of guanidine thiocyanate-solubilized cells for quantitation of mRNAs in hepatocytes.

The sensitivity of direct solution hybridization of hepatocytes solubilized in guanidium thiocyanate (GuSCN) for detecting alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and albumin mRNAs was studied. The sensitivity of detection was inversely correlated with the DNA concentration. Raising the hybridization temperature from 20 to 37 or 50 degrees C (with formamide) increased the hybridization efficiency three- to fourfold in cell lysates with a high DNA concentration (1 microgram/microliter), whereas the hybridization efficiency was already maximal at 20 degrees C in diluted samples. It was most important to normalize all hybridization reactions with an internal standard, such as sense mRNA, because of the great variation in hybridization efficiency from one cell preparation to another depending on the DNA concentration. Direct hybridization of GuSCN cell lysates labeled in vivo with [6-14C]orotic acid was more efficient than hybridizing equivalent amounts of purified [6-14C]-labeled RNA, perhaps because of greater mRNA integrity and/or better recoveries of mRNA in GuSCN cell lysates. Therefore, direct solution hybridization of GuSCN-solubilized hepatocytes, which avoids the problem of RNA purification, appears to be a rapid, sensitive, and reliable method for quantifying mRNA in hepatocytes.

Albumins↗
PubMed1997

Factors altering ribozyme-mediated cleavage of tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA in vitro.

Hammerhead ribozymes are capable of cleaving RNA in a sequence specific manner in vitro. However, the complex environment of the cell differs dramatically from the conditions in vitro. Therefore, we explored cleavage of full-length target RNA with two ribozymes targeted against the murine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA. These ribozymes cleaved TNF-alpha mRNA within a pool of total cellular RNA in vitro, but less efficiently than previously reported for similar ribozymes. Although there may be several factors that could affect ribozyme activity, two of these factors were tested. The first factor was whether non-target polynucleotides inhibited ribozyme-mediated cleavage. Total cellular RNA and to a lesser degree DNA inhibited ribozyme activity. This inhibition was a combination of competitive and non-competitive inhibition. Non-target RNA with minimal complementarity to the ribozyme or target showed no effect on cleavage rates. The second factor was whether denaturing conditions improved ribozyme cleavage efficiency. Hammerhead ribozymes with 24 complementary bases had increased cleavage efficiency in formamide. Thus, the ribozymes may have had too long of an antisense flanking sequence which hybridized with the target RNA and resulted in a high melting temperature. These studies demonstrate that ribozyme cleavage was influenced by the amount of non-target polynucleotide and the strength of the ribozyme-substrate interaction.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

An improved, rapid Northern protocol.

We report a simple, sensitive and rapid method for performing Northern blotting analysis which avoids the use of toxic chemicals such as formamide and glyoxal. This technique allows sensitive detection of various transcripts from total RNA samples varying from 10 microg to 2.5 microg. These samples were probed for GAPDH and VCAM mRNA message using this technique and show similar results as conventional Northern blotting methods. In addition, this protocol can be accomplished much faster than the traditional formamide/formaldehyde or glyoxal protocols. This protocol can be easily implemented by most laboratories using inexpensive and reagents less toxic than those commonly used for RNA analysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Nucleation and Crystal Growth in a Vitrification Solution Tested for Organ Cryopreservation by Vitrification.

Nucleation and crystal growth are investigated for vitrification solution VS41A (dimethyl sulfoxide, formamide, and 1,2-propanediol) in an aqueous carrier solution giving, when added to these three cryoprotectants, a concentration of other solutes in the whole solution the same as that in Euro-Collins, with a 55% (w/v) cryoprotectant concentration. This concentration is assumed to achieve physical properties under 1 atmosphere similar to those of solution VS4 used under 1000 atmospheres. The thermal range and the kinetics of nucleation and crystal growth are investigated by DSC through different thermal treatments. It is found that the nucleation thermal range is below -90 degrees C and that of crystal growth is above -85 degrees C for a relatively long experimental time. The nucleation density is also studied through direct observations by cryomicroscopy and is related to the amount of crystallization calorimetrically recorded. The effect of storage below the glass transition shows the possibility of a slow increase in nucleation below the glass transition, as already observed by other authors for different aqueous solutions. Isothermal crystallization is analyzed within the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model for temperatures above -75 degrees C. The corresponding samples have been cooled and warmed at the same rate of 40 degrees C/min and calculations give, at constant nuclei numbers, an activation energy of 9.3 +/- 0.3 kcal/mol and the Avrami exponent n = 2.2 +/- 0.05. This shows a two-dimensional crystal growth as observed by cryomicroscopy. The estimated critical warming rate relevant to the preservation of rabbit kidneys by vitrification is 270 degrees C/min with or without an increase in the nucleus density during storage. The present results support the possibility of using VS4 solution for vitrification of rabbit kidneys if pressure is not a limiting factor. Copyright 1993, 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Comparison of permeating and nonpermeating cryoprotectants for mouse sperm cryopreservation.

Mouse sperm has proven to be more difficult to cryopreserve than sperm of other mammalian species. Published reports show that only three cryoprotectant agents (CPAs), alone or combined, have been studied: glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), as permeating agents, and raffinose, as a nonpermeating agent. To date, the most consistent results for mouse sperm cryopreservation have been achieved by use of raffinose/skim milk as cryoprotectant with rapid cooling at 20 degrees C per minute. In this study, we compared the cryoprotection provided by permeating (glycerol, formamide, propanediol, DMSO, adonitol) or nonpermeating (lactose, raffinose, sucrose, trehalose, d-mannitol) compounds for freezing mouse sperm. Different solutions were made using 3% skim milk solution as the buffer or extender in which all different cryoprotectant agents were dissolved at a concentration of 0.3 M, with a final osmolality of approx. 400 mOsm. Sperm samples from CB6F1 (hybrid) and C57BL/6J (inbred) mice collected directly into each CPA were frozen/thawed under identical conditions. After thawing and CPA elimination (centrifugation) raffinose (59%), trehalose (61%), and sucrose (61%) sustained the best motility (P = < 0.1) of the nonpermeating agents, whereas the best of the permeating agents was DMSO (42%). Membrane integrity was analyzed and showed that the simple exposure (prefreeze) to sugars was less harmful than the exposure to glycols. Coincidentally, sperm frozen in trehalose (41%), raffinose (40.5%), and sucrose (37.5%) were the samples less injured among all different postthawed CPA tested. The in vitro fertilization results demonstrated that hybrid mouse spermatozoa frozen with sugars (lactose 80%, raffinose 80%, trehalose 79% of two-cell embryos production) were more fertile than those frozen with glycols (glycerol 11%).

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Water crystallization within rat precision-cut liver slices in relation to their viability.

This study examined whether tissue vitrification, promoted by partitioning within the tissue, could be the mechanism explaining the high viability of rat liver slices, rapidly frozen after preincubation with 18% Me2SO or VS4 (a 7.5 M mixture of Me2SO, 1,2-propanediol, and formamide with weight ratio 21.5:15:2.4). To achieve this, we first determined the extent to which crystallization or vitrification occurred in cryoprotectant solutions (Me2SO and VS4) and within liver slices impregnated with these solutions. Second, we determined how these events were related to survival of slices after thawing. Water crystallization was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and viability was determined by histomorphological examination of the slices after culturing at 37 degrees C for 4 h. VS4-preincubated liver slices indeed behaved differently from bulk VS4 solution, because, when vitrified, they had a lower tendency to devitrify. Vitrified VS4-preincubated slices that were warmed sufficiently rapid to prevent devitrification had a high viability. When VS4 was diluted (to 75%) or if warming was not fast enough to prevent ice formation, slices had a low viability. With 45% Me2SO, low viability of cryopreserved slices was caused by cryoprotectant toxicity. Surprisingly, liver slices preincubated with 18% Me2SO or 50% VS4 had a high viability despite the formation of ice within the slice. In conclusion, tissue vitrification provides a mechanism that explains the high viability of VS4-preincubated slices after ultrarapid freezing and thawing (>800 degrees C/min). Slices that are preincubated with moderately concentrated cryoprotectant solutions (18% Me2SO, 50% VS4) and cooled rapidly (100 degrees C/min) survive cryopreservation despite the formation of ice crystals within the slice.

Animals↗