Cryopreservation Medium Viscosity Control to Prevent Ice Crystals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryopreservation techniques cause damage to biological samples due to ice crystal formation during cooling and warming, which is particularly detrimental for larger tissues and organs, limiting their viability and shelf life.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that induces changes in viscosity of a non-Newtonian cryopreservation medium using mechanical, sonic, magnetic, or electromagnetic means to prevent ice crystal formation, employing devices such as tapping, rotating, compressing, or generating sound waves to modulate the viscosity and prevent ice growth during cryopreservation and warming processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional cryopreservation techniques are used to preserve biological samples, then the samples can be stored at very low temperatures, but ice crystals form during cooling and warming causing damage to the biological material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the cryopreservation medium by using non-Newtonian fluids with temperature-dependent viscosity. As temperature decreases, the viscosity increases dramatically, preventing ice crystal formation while allowing the medium to remain liquid at storage temperatures. This resolves the contradiction by modifying the medium's properties rather than simply lowering temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite cryopreservation media containing non-Newtonian fluid components (such as polymers or colloids) combined with traditional cryoprotectants. This composite approach creates a medium that exhibits shear-thinning behavior at application temperatures but maintains high viscosity at storage temperatures, preventing ice formation while preserving biological material.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional cryopreservation methods are used, then biological samples can be preserved, but the technique is particularly detrimental for larger tissues and organs limiting their shelf life
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing non-Newtonian fluids whose viscosity changes with temperature and shear rate, the patent enables preservation of larger tissues without ice crystal damage. The temperature-dependent viscosity increase at storage temperatures prevents ice formation throughout the entire sample volume, while the shear-thinning property allows easy application. This extends shelf life for larger organs by eliminating the primary mechanism of cryopreservation damage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If ice-free vitrification technique is used to avoid ice crystal formation, then ice crystals are prevented during cooling, but the technique requires rapid cooling rates that are difficult to achieve for larger samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the approach by using non-Newtonian fluids that prevent ice crystal formation through viscosity increase rather than rapid cooling. As temperature decreases, the medium's viscosity increases naturally, preventing ice nucleation and growth without requiring extreme cooling rates. This resolves the contradiction by replacing the speed-dependent vitrification method with a composition-dependent ice prevention method.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively prevents ice crystal formation, enhancing the viability and shelf life of biological samples by controlling the viscosity of the cryopreservation medium, allowing for the preservation of larger tissues and organs without the damage caused by traditional ice-based methods.
Implementation Method 1
apparatus for preventing the formation of ice crystals in a biological sample containing a non-Newtonian fluid as a cryopreservation medium
Implementation Method 2
inducing a change in viscosity of the cryopreservation medium... employ devices such as tapping, rotating, compressing, or generating sound waves to modulate the viscosity
Implementation Method 3
generating sound waves to modulate the viscosity and prevent ice growth during cryopreservation and warming processes
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus are provided for preventing the formation of ice crystals in a biological sample containing a non-Newtonian fluid as a cryopreservation medium. The apparatus may be used to prevent ice formation during cryopreservation of biological samples, or during warming of cryopreserved biological samples, by changing the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid. The apparatus (200) comprises a housing (202) for a container (212) containing the biological sample (214) and the non-Newtonian fluid, and a device (204) for inducing a change in viscosity of the cryopreservation medium. The change in viscosity may be increased by inducing shear thickening of the cryopreservation medium, or the change in viscosity may be decreased by inducing shear thinning of the cryopreservation medium. Possible viscosity-changing devices comprise a tapping device, a piston, a rotating device, a compression device, a sound generating device, a permanent magnet or a electromagnetic field generating device. The apparatus may further include a temperature control device.