Lessons from Nature: Antifreeze Glycolipids for Cryopreservation of Mammalian Cel

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Storage of cells for many researchers simply involves addition of 10% DMSO or similar cryoprotectants to cells in suspension, putting them in cryovials and slow cooling to subzero temperaturesf and storage in a mechanical or nitrogen cooled freezer or dewar. As long as viable cells are present upon thawing, cell yield may be a secondary consideration due to the high proliferative potential of the cells. However, there are significant cell types that are difficult to preserve with existing cryopreservation techniques including many primary cells, such as cardiac myocytes, and hepatocytes, plus embryonic stem cells and inducible pluripotent stem cells. Others, such as keratinocytes, are easy to cryopreserve in suspension but difficult when attached to a substrate. The study of how organisms survive extreme temperatures has revealed that multiple phenomena may occur in synchrony to promote survival including production of cryoprotectants, antifreeze compounds (peptides a