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Lessons from nature for preservation of mammalian cells, tissues, and organs

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Abstract

The study of mechanisms by which animals tolerate environmental extremes may provide strategies for preservation of living mammalian materials. Animals employ a variety of compounds to enhance their survival, including production of disaccharides, glycerol, and antifreeze compounds. The cryoprotectant glycerol was discovered before its role in amphibian survival. In the last decade, trehalose has made an impact on freezing and drying methods for mammalian cells. Investigation of disaccharides was stimulated by the variety of organisms that tolerate dehydration stress by accumulation of disaccharides. Several methods have been developed for the loading of trehalose into mammalian cells, including inducing membrane lipid-phase transitions, genetically engineered pores, endocytosis, and prolonged cell culture with trehalose. In contrast, the many antifreeze proteins (AFPs) identified in a variety of organisms have had little impact. The first AFPs to be discovered were found in cold water fish; their AFPs have not found a medical application. Insect AFPs function by similar mechanisms, but they are more active and recombinant AFPs may offer the best opportunity for success in medical applications. For example, in contrast to fish AFPs, transgenic organisms expressing insect AFPs exhibit reduced ice nucleation. However, we must remember that nature’s survival strategies may include production of AFPs, antifreeze glycolipids, ice nucleators, polyols, disaccharides, depletion of ice nucleators, and partial desiccation in synchrony with the onset of winter. We anticipate that it is only by combining several natural low temperature survival strategies that the full potential benefits for mammalian cell survival and medical applications can be achieved.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NSF IOB06-18436 to JGD and R44DK081233 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to KGMB. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases or the National Institutes of Health.

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  1. Cell & Tissue Systems, Inc., 2231 Technical Parkway, Suite A, North Charleston, SC, 29401, USA

    Kelvin G. M. Brockbank, Lia H. Campbell, Elizabeth D. Greene & Matthew C. G. Brockbank

  2. Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA

    Kelvin G. M. Brockbank

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA

    John G. Duman

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  1. Kelvin G. M. Brockbank
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  2. Lia H. Campbell
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Correspondence to Kelvin G. M. Brockbank.

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Editor: J. Denry Sato

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Brockbank, K.G.M., Campbell, L.H., Greene, E.D. et al. Lessons from nature for preservation of mammalian cells, tissues, and organs. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Animal 47, 210–217 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11626-010-9383-2

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