Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Freezing”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,135 records · Page 63Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Refreezing of murine intact and biopsied embryos by rapid-freezing procedure.

The in-vivo development of murine morula stage embryos frozen-thawed once or twice and embryos biopsied after one freezing cycle and refrozen was studied. Embryos (n = 860) were cryopreserved using a rapid-freezing procedure. At least 24 h after freezing, embryos were thawed and cultured in vitro for 3 h. In experiment I, morphologically intact embryos were either transferred (n = 180) into recipients or refrozen (n = 160). Unfrozen embryos (control group, n = 180) and refrozen embryos stored for at least 24 h and then thawed, were transferred into recipients. In experiment II, embryos frozen once were thawed and biopsied or sham-biopsied (n = 230 and 180 respectively) and refrozen (n = 226 and 179 respectively). They were thawed and transferred (n = 192 and 160 respectively) into recipients. Recipient mice were either killed on day 15 after embryo transfer and number of implantation sites and live fetuses recorded or pregnant recipients (n = 6, experiment II) were allowed to carry the fetuses to term. There was no difference in the survival rate of embryos at thawing between those frozen once or twice (91 versus 93%). The implantation rate and number of live fetuses in the pregnant recipients at necropsy among those transferred with unfrozen embryos (57% and 51%; 8/9), embryos frozen once (55% and 45%; 8/9) or twice (51% and 48%; 6/8) was not different. There was no difference in the survival rate of refrozen embryos biopsied or sham-biopsied after one freezing cycle (89 versus 87%). The implantation rate and number of live fetuses in pregnant animals transferred with biopsied or sham-biopsied embryos was not different (64 and 41% versus 57 and 37% respectively). All six pregnant animals allowed to carry the fetuses to term delivered normal live fetuses (n = 39). On mating 12 females with six males of the progeny born out of biopsied embryos, all became pregnant and delivered live fetuses. It may be concluded that murine biopsied and intact embryos can be successfully refrozen by rapid-freezing procedure.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Sugars regulate cold-induced gene expression and freezing-tolerance in barley cell cultures.

The hypothesis that the extracellular concentration of sugars helps regulate the acclimation of plant cells to cold was tested in this work. Suspension cultures were used to control the concentration of sugars in the medium supplied to barley cell cultures (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Igri), replacing the medium daily to help maintain the concentration. Freezing tolerance and the levels of mRNA expression of the stress-response genes blt4.9 (coding for a non- specific lipid transfer protein) and dhn1 (coding for a dehydrin) were measured. Similar levels of freezing-tolerance and gene expression were obtained in the experiments as occur during cold-acclimation in the crown of the whole plant. In the cell cultures, cold (6/2 degrees C) did not induce an increase in freezing tolerance or in the expression of detectable levels of blt4.9 or dhn1 mRNAs when only 1 g l-1 sucrose was supplied. However, the cells in this low sucrose medium in the cold were not sugar-starved, indicating that this did not explain the failure of the cells to acclimate when grown in the cold environment. Ten g l-1 sucrose supplied to cells grown in the warm (25 degrees C) induced acclimation to freezing and up-regulation of expression of blt4.9 and dhn1 mRNAs. Osmolality of the medium did not explain this. Thirty g l-1 sucrose induced yet higher levels of freezing tolerance and of blt4.9 and dhn1 mRNAs in cultures grown in either the cold or the warm environment. The results implicate sugars in the regulation of cold acclimation

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1985

Effects of freezing on purified nitrite reductase from a denitrifier, Alcaligenes sp. NCIB 11015.

The effects of freezing on Alcaligenes sp. nitrite reductase [nitric-oxide: ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase, EC 1.7.2.1] dissolved in sodium phosphate (pH 7.2) were investigated. The nitrite reductase was gradually activated with time in the frozen state, resulting in an increase in its activity of 2.5-4.5 times. The final freezing temperature influenced the enzyme activation, maximal activation being observed at around -20 degrees C. All the enzymatic activities that the nitrite reductase is known to catalyze were enhanced by freeze-thawing. The activation was followed by neither association-dissociation nor any gross conformational change of the enzyme molecule, but was accompanied by an increase in the fluorescence intensity of 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulfonate used as a hydrophobic probe. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the activation of the NiR is due to a limited conformational change of the enzyme molecule, particularly in the hydrophobic region. The mechanism of the activation of NiR by freeze-thawing is discussed, in comparison with the mechanisms of inactivation by freeze-thawing of many enzymes reported by previous workers.

Alcaligenes↗
PubMed2003

Photoperiodic regulation of a 24-kD dehydrin-like protein in red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L.) in relation to freeze-tolerance.

A predominant 24-kD dehydrin-like protein was previously found to fluctuate seasonally within red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea L.) stems. The current study attempted to determine what environmental cues triggered the accumulation of the 24-kD protein and to assess its potential role in winter survival. Controlled photoperiod and field studies confirmed that photoperiod regulates a reduction of stem water content (SWC), freeze-tolerance enhancement and accumulation of the 24-kD protein. Diverse climatic ecotypes, which are known to respond to different critical photoperiods, displayed differential reduction of SWC and accumulation of the 24-kD protein. A time-course study confirmed that prolonged exposure to short days is essential for SWC reduction, 24-kD protein accumulation, and freeze-tolerance enhancement. Water deficit induced 24-kD protein accumulation and enhanced freeze-tolerance under long-day conditions. In all instances, freeze-tolerance enhancement and 24-kD protein accumulation was preceded by a reduction of SWC. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that C. sericea responds to decreasing photoperiod, which triggers a reduction in SWC. Reduced SWC in turn may trigger the accumulation of the 24-kD protein and a parallel increase in freeze-tolerance.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2006

Changes in freezing tolerance, plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity and fatty acid composition in Pinus resinosa needles during cold acclimation and de-acclimation.

It has previously been suggested that plasma membrane ATPase (PM H+-ATPase, EC 3.6.1.3.) is a site of incipient freezing injury because activity increases following cold acclimation and there are published data indicating that activity of PM H+-ATPase is modulated by changes in lipids associated with the enzyme. To test and extend these findings in a tree species, we analyzed PM H+-ATPase activity and the fatty acid (FA) composition of glycerolipids in purified plasma membranes (PMs) prepared by the two-phase partition method from current-year needles of adult red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) trees. Freezing tolerance of the needles decreased from -56 degrees C in March to -9 degrees C in May, and increased from -15 degrees C in September to -148 degrees C in January. Specific activity of vanadate-sensitive PM H+-ATPase increased more than two-fold following cold acclimation, despite a concurrent increase in protein concentration. During de-acclimation, decreases in PM H+-ATPase activity and freezing tolerance were accompanied by decreases in the proportions of oleic (18:1) and linoleic (18:2) acids and increases in the proportions of palmitic (16:0) and linolenic (18:3) acids in total glycerolipids extracted from the plasma membrane fraction. This pattern of changes in PM H+-ATPase activity and the 18:1, 18:2 and 18:3 fatty acids was reversed during cold acclimation. In the PM fractions, changes in FA unsaturation, expressed as the double bond index (1 x 18:1 + 2 x 18:2 + 3 x 18:3), were closely correlated with changes in H+-ATPase specific activity (r2 = 0.995). Changes in freezing tolerance were well correlated with DBI (r2 = 0.877) and ATPase specific activity (r2 = 0.833) in the PM fraction. Total ATPase activity in microsomal fractions also closely followed changes in freezing tolerance (r2 = 0.969). We conclude that, as in herbaceous plants, simultaneous seasonal changes in PM H+-ATPase activity and fatty acid composition occur during cold acclimation and de-acclimation in an extremely winter hardy tree species under natural conditions, lending support to the hypothesis that FA-regulated PM H+-ATPase activity is involved in the cellular response underlying cold acclimation and de-acclimation.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2003

Tolerance of the mouse sperm nuclei to freeze-drying depends on their disulfide status.

Mouse spermatozoa from the caudae epididymides could be freeze-dried without losing their ability to support normal development. Immature spermatozoa from the testes, in contrast, were damaged by freeze-drying. However, immature spermatozoa became resistant to freeze-drying after their treatment with diamide, which oxidizes free -SH groups. Conversely, epididymal spermatozoa were damaged by freeze-drying if first treated with dithiothreitol (DTT), which reduces -SS- bonds. The potential for freeze-drying damage seems likely to relate to the -SS- status of sperm proteins, in particular its protamines.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Induction of heat, freezing and salt tolerance by heat and salt shock in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Stress tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined after exposure to heat and salt shock in the presence or absence of the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Cells heat-shocked (37 degrees C for 45 min) in the absence of cycloheximide demonstrated increased tolerance of heat, freezing and salt stress. For cells heat-shocked in the presence of cycloheximide, heat and salt tolerance could still be induced, although at lower levels, while induction of freezing tolerance was completely inhibited. These results indicated that while heat shock proteins (hsps) may contribute to induced heat and salt tolerance they are not essential, although induction of freezing tolerance appears to require protein synthesis. Exposure of cells to salt shock (300 mM NaCl for 45 min) induced stress protein synthesis and the accumulation of glycerol, responses analogous to induction of hsp synthesis and trehalose accumulation in cells exposed to heat shock. Cells salt-shocked in the absence of cycloheximide showed a similar pattern of induced stress tolerance as with heat, with increased tolerance of heat, salt and freezing. Cells salt-shocked in the presence of cycloheximide continued to show induced heat and salt tolerance, but freezing tolerance could not be induced. These results lend support to the hypothesis that hsp synthesis is not essential for induced tolerance of some forms of stress and that accumulated solutes such as trehalose or glycerol may contribute to induced stress tolerance.

Cycloheximide↗
PubMed2003

Down-regulating alpha-galactosidase enhances freezing tolerance in transgenic petunia.

Alpha-galactosidase (alpha-Gal; EC 3.2.1.22) is involved in many aspects of plant metabolism, including hydrolysis of the alpha-1,6 linkage of raffinose oligosaccharides during deacclimation. To examine the relationship between endogenous sugars and freezing stress, the expression of alpha-Gal was modified in transgenic petunia (Petunia x hybrida cv Mitchell). The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Lea-Gal gene under the control of the Figwort Mosaic Virus promoter was introduced into petunia in the sense and antisense orientations using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. RNA gel blots confirmed that alpha-Gal transcripts were reduced in antisense lines compared with wild type, whereas sense plants had increased accumulation of alpha-Gal mRNAs. alpha-Gal activity followed a similar trend, with reduced activity in antisense lines and increased activity in all sense lines evaluated. Raffinose content of nonacclimated antisense plants increased 12- to 22-fold compared with wild type, and 22- to 53-fold after cold acclimation. Based upon electrolyte leakage tests, freezing tolerance of the antisense lines increased from -4 degrees C for cold-acclimated wild-type plants to -8 degrees C for the most tolerant antisense line. Down-regulating alpha-Gal in petunia results in an increase in freezing tolerance at the whole-plant level in nonacclimated and cold-acclimated plants, whereas overexpression of the alpha-Gal gene caused a decrease in endogenous raffinose and impaired freezing tolerance. These results suggest that engineering raffinose metabolism by transformation with alpha-Gal provides an additional method for improving the freezing tolerance of plants.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1993

Superoxide dismutase enhances tolerance of freezing stress in transgenic alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Activated oxygen or oxygen free radicals have been implicated in a number of physiological disorders in plants including freezing injury. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) catalyzes the dismutation of superoxide into O2 and H2O2 and thereby reduces the titer of activated oxygen molecules in the cell. To further examine the relationship between oxidative and freezing stresses, the expression of SOD was modified in transgenic alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The Mn-SOD cDNA from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter was introduced into alfalfa using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Two plasmid vectors, pMitSOD and pChlSOD, contained a chimeric Mn-SOD construct with a transit peptide for targeting to the mitochondria or one for targeting to the chloroplast, respectively. The putatively transgenic plants were selected for resistance to kanamycin and screened for neomycin phosphotransferase activity and the presence of an additional Mn-SOD isozyme. Detailed analysis of a set of four selected transformants indicated that some had enhanced SOD activity, increased tolerance to the diphenyl ether herbicide, acifluorfen, and increased regrowth after freezing stress. The F1 progeny of one line, RA3-ChlSOD-30, were analyzed by SOD isozyme activity, by polymerase chain reaction for the Mn-SOD gene, and by polymerase chain reaction for the neo gene. RA3-ChlSOD-30 had three sites of insertion of pChlSOD, but only one gave a functional Mn-SOD isozyme; the other two were apparently partial insertions. The progeny with a functional Mn-SOD transgene had more rapid regrowth following freezing stress than those progeny lacking the functional Mn-SOD transgene, suggesting that Mn-SOD serves a protective role by minimizing oxygen free radical production after freezing stress.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Antifreeze proteins modify the freezing process in planta.

During cold acclimation, winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv Musketeer) plants accumulate antifreeze proteins (AFPs) in the apoplast of leaves and crowns. The goal of this study was to determine whether these AFPs influence survival at subzero temperatures by modifying the freezing process or by acting as cryoprotectants. In order to inhibit the growth of ice, AFPs must be mobile so that they can bind to specific sites on the ice crystal lattice. Guttate obtained from cold-acclimated winter rye leaves exhibited antifreeze activity, indicating that the AFPs are free in solution. Infrared video thermography was used to observe freezing in winter rye leaves. In the absence of an ice nucleator, AFPs had no effect on the supercooling temperature of the leaves. However, in the presence of an ice nucleator, AFPs lowered the temperature at which the leaves froze by 0.3 degrees C to 1.2 degrees C. In vitro studies showed that apoplastic proteins extracted from cold-acclimated winter rye leaves inhibited the recrystallization of ice and also slowed the rate of migration of ice through solution-saturated filter paper. When we examined the possible role of winter rye AFPs in cryoprotection, we found that lactate dehydrogenase activity was higher after freezing in the presence of AFPs compared with buffer, but the same effect was obtained by adding bovine serum albumin. AFPs had no effect on unstacked thylakoid volume after freezing, but did inhibit stacking of the thylakoids, thus indicating a loss of thylakoid function. We conclude that rye AFPs have no specific cryoprotective activity; rather, they interact directly with ice in planta and reduce freezing injury by slowing the growth and recrystallization of ice.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2005

Analysis of freeze-thaw embolism in conifers. The interaction between cavitation pressure and tracheid size.

Ice formation in the xylem sap produces air bubbles that under negative xylem pressures may expand and cause embolism in the xylem conduits. We used the centrifuge method to evaluate the relationship between freeze-thaw embolism and conduit diameter across a range of xylem pressures (Px) in the conifers Pinus contorta and Juniperus scopulorum. Vulnerability curves showing loss of conductivity (embolism) with Px down to -8 MPa were generated with versus without superimposing a freeze-thaw treatment. In both species, the freeze-thaw plus water-stress treatment caused more embolism than water stress alone. We estimated the critical conduit diameter (Df) above which a tracheid will embolize due to freezing and thawing and found that it decreased from 35 microm at a Px of -0.5 MPa to 6 microm at -8 MPa. Further analysis showed that the proportionality between diameter of the air bubble nucleating the cavitation and the diameter of the conduit (kL) declined with increasingly negative Px. This suggests that the bubbles causing cavitation are smaller in proportion to tracheid diameter in narrow tracheids than in wider ones. A possible reason for this is that the rate of dissolving increases with bubble pressure, which is inversely proportional to bubble diameter (La Place's law). Hence, smaller bubbles shrink faster than bigger ones. Last, we used the empirical relationship between Px and Df to model the freeze-thaw response in conifer species.

Cell Size↗
PubMed2006

Natural genetic variation of freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Low temperature is a primary determinant of plant growth and survival. Using accessions of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) originating from Scandinavia to the Cape Verde Islands, we show that freezing tolerance of natural accessions correlates with habitat winter temperatures, identifying low temperature as an important selective pressure for Arabidopsis. Combined metabolite and transcript profiling show that during cold exposure, global changes of transcripts, but not of metabolites, correlate with the ability of Arabidopsis to cold acclimate. There are, however, metabolites and transcripts, including several transcription factors, that correlate with freezing tolerance, indicating regulatory pathways that may be of primary importance for this trait. These data identify that enhanced freezing tolerance is associated with the down-regulation of photosynthesis and hormonal responses and the induction of flavonoid metabolism, provide evidence for naturally increased nonacclimated freezing tolerance due to the constitutive activation of the C-repeat binding factors pathway, and identify candidate transcriptional regulators that correlate with freezing tolerance.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1989

In situ freezing of the rat urinary bladder: DNA adduct formation in the bladder epithelium demonstrated by 32P-postlabeling assay.

In situ freezing of the urinary bladder has been demonstrated to exert tumor-initiating potential in two-stage urinary bladder carcinogenesis in the rat. In the present experiment, DNA modification was examined after in situ freezing of the whole urinary bladder performed by pinching with frozen forceps at -15 degrees C or -30 degrees C for 2 s. The 32P-postlabeling analysis revealed at least 2 DNA adducts in the epithelial cells of the urinary bladder collected 3 days after freezing. Single-strand breaks of DNA were also found by means of the alkaline elution assay in the bladder epithelium collected 10 min after freezing. Thus, the previously demonstrated tumor-initiating activity of in situ freezing in urinary bladder carcinogenesis was revealed to be associated with substantial DNA damage and adduct formation.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Interactive effects of solutes, potassium sorbate and incubation temperature on growth, heat resistance and tolerance to freezing of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii.

The interactive effects of solutes, potassium sorbate and incubation temperature on growth, heat resistance and tolerance to freezing of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii were investigated. Growth rates in media supplemented with glucose, sucrose or NaCl to aw 0.93 were more rapid than in unsupplemented media (aw 0.99). Although growth in unsupplemented medium was lower at 35 degrees C, incubation at 21 degrees C or 35 degrees C had little effect on growth in media supplemented with glucose and sucrose. The addition of 300 micrograms potassium sorbate/ml to media resulted in reduced growth rates, particularly at 35 degrees C. Heat resistance of Z. rouxii was substantially greater in cultures previously incubated at 35 degrees C than in cultures incubated at 21 degrees C in media both with and without 300 micrograms potassium sorbate/ml. Zygosaccharomyces rouxii was tolerant to freezing at -18 degrees C for up to 120 d in all test media supplemented with glucose, sucrose or NaCl. The addition of 300 micrograms potassium sorbate/ml to sucrose-supplemented media resulted in increased resistance to freezing in cultures previously incubated at 21 degrees C. Sensitivity to freezing increased when cultures were incubated at 21 degrees C in media not supplemented with solutes. Glucose and sucrose provided the best protection against inactivation by heating and freezing, regardless of the presence of potassium sorbate in growth media.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed2005

Influence of fermentation time, cryoprotectant and neutralization of cell concentrate on freeze-drying survival, storage stability, and acid and bile exposure of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis cells produced without milk-based ingredients.

AIMS: To investigate the stability of Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis VTT E-012010 (=Bb-12) during freeze-drying, storage and acid and bile exposure. The effect of harvesting time and composition and pH of the cryoprotectant on the survival was evaluated. The procedure was performed by using a milk-free culture medium and cryoprotectants to produce cells for nonmilk-based applications. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bifidobacterial cells were grown in fermenters in general edible medium for 15 or 22 h. The cell mass was freeze-dried either as non-neutralized or neutralized using sucrose, betaine or reconstituted skim milk (control) as cryoprotectants. For stability studies freeze-dried powders were stored at 37, 5 and -20 degrees C for 2-6 months. In addition, acid and bile tolerance of the powders was tested. Sucrose-formulated B. animalis ssp. lactis preparations had an excellent stability during storage at refrigerated and frozen temperatures for 5-6 months. They also had a good survival during storage at 37 degrees C for 2 months as well as during exposure to pH 3 and 1% bile acids. No difference was observed between 15 and 22 h grown cells or between non-neutralized and neutralized cells. Betaine proved to be a poor cryoprotectant compared with sucrose. CONCLUSIONS: Fermentation time and neutralization of cell concentrate before freeze-drying had no impact on the storage stability and bile and acid tolerance of freeze-dried bifidobacterial cells. The nonmilk-based production protocol using sucrose as a cryoprotectant yielded powdery preparations with excellent stability in adverse conditions (storage at elevated temperatures and during acid and bile exposure). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results indicate that it is feasible to develop nonmilk-based production technologies for probiotic cultures. This provides new possibilities for the development of nondairy-based probiotic products.

Bifidobacterium↗
PubMed1982

Monolayer freeze-fracture autoradiography: origins and directions.

Monolayer freeze-fracture autoradiography (MONOFARG) is a product of two earlier methods: freeze-fracture autoradiography (FARG) and cell monolayer freeze-fracture. MONOFARG incorporates many of the basic principles and cytochemical goals of FARG while exploiting the technical advantages of monolayer freeze-fracturing. The latter method offers the opportunity to process freeze-dried 'half' membranes at room temperature. Although the feasibility of MONOFARG has been shown for qualitative analyses of split membranes, it's quantitative feasibility for transmembrane and in-plane analyses has just begun to be documented. An example of one aspect of that documentation is included in this report. The distribution of 125I-FITC-Concanavalin-A in the plane of split plasma membranes, human erythrocyte extracellular fracture faces, was examined and found to be homogeneous. The relevance of this finding to recently described double labelled membrane splitting experiments is discussed. The future of MONOFARG appears promising, especially in the application of the technique to biologically significant questions.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1985

An inexpensive device for freeze drying and plastic embedding tissues at low temperatures.

The preparation of biological tissues for electron microscopy by rapid freezing retains the original localization of ions and molecules. A reproducible freezing regime was established by quenching tissues in liquid propane according to the method of Elder et al. (1981). Tissue was thereafter freeze dried in a custom built freeze drying device with a liquid nitrogen cooled stage to prevent ice recrystallization during drying. The device was also designed to allow the vacuum embedding of tissue in low temperature resin such as Lowicryl and polymerization in situ. This paper describes the design of the device and an example of its use in the freeze drying of cartilage. The results show that minimal ice damage occurs to the chondrocytes and that intracellular organelles are clearly visible. The regime described may prove a useful and pragmatic alternative to cutting tissue in the frozen state. Translocation of elements is unlikely except perhaps in the case of very labile elements such as Na and K, but this remains to be fully elucidated.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Vitrification of articular cartilage by high-pressure freezing.

For more than 20 years, high-pressure freezing has been used to cryofix bulk biological specimens and reports are available in which the potential and limits of this method have been evaluated mostly based on morphological criteria. By evaluating the presence or absence of segregation patterns, it was postulated that biological samples of up to 600 microns in thickness could be vitrified by high-pressure freezing. The cooling rates necessary to achieve this result under high-pressure conditions were estimated to be of the order of several hundred degrees kelvin per second. Recent results suggest that the thickness of biological samples which can be vitrified may be much less than previously believed. It was the aim of this study to explore the potential and limits of high-pressure freezing using theoretical and experimental methods. A new high-pressure freezing apparatus (Leica EM HPF), which can generate higher cooling rates at the sample surface than previously possible, was used. Using bovine articular cartilage as a model tissue system, we were able to vitrify 150-micron-thick tissue samples. Vitrification was proven by subjecting frozen-hydrated cryosections to electron diffraction analysis and was found to be dependent on the proteoglycan concentration and water content of the cartilage. Only the lower radical zone (with a high proteoglycan concentration and a low water content compared to the other zones) could be fully vitrified. Our theoretical calculations indicated that applied surface cooling rates in excess of 5000 K/s can be propagated into specimen centres only if samples are relatively thin (< 200 microns). These calculations, taken together with our zone-dependent attainment of vitrification in 150-micron-thick cartilage samples, suggest that the critical cooling rates necessary to achieve vitrification of biological samples under high-pressure freezing conditions are significantly their (1000-100,000 K/s) than previously proposed, but are reduced by about a factor of 100 when compared to cooling rates necessary to vitrify biological samples at ambient pressure.

Animals↗