Cultured Human Cell Monolayers Cryopreserved In Situ

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): BioLife Solutions Inc is dedicated to developing new technologies in Biological Packaging for hypothermic storage (4 to 8C) and cryopreservation (-196C) of human cells and tissues. The HypoThermosol (HTS) platform consists of HTS-PURGE, HTS-BASE, HTS-DCC, HTS-FRS HTS-GelStor and other custom preservation solutions being utilized by clients in the Regenerative Medicine market. BioLife's serum-free CryoStor cryopreservation solution platform is designed for cell and tissue storage in liquid nitrogen and requires reduced DMSO levels. BioLife's solutions are designed around an understanding of the molecular events underlying cell death cascades that can be launched due to preservation storage. Once known, solution formulation is altered in such a manner that inhibits these cell death processes. Several of BioLife's HTS variants have been shown to have a marked benefit over present commercial solutions (e.g.ViaSpan) designed for organ storage. BioLife's CryoStor series may be better at cryopreservation than the current ATCC industry protocol. BioLife's solutions are now a part of BioHeart's FDA-approved IND in cellular cardiomyoplasty - a successful international program in cardiac Regenerative Medicine made possible, in part, by BioLife's HTS-FRS. BioLife's recent success in cryopreservation technology coupled with the Company's current association with biotechnology industries whose product lines consist of the distribution of primary human liver and skin cells, has precipitated BioLife's interest in developing "CryoPlates" - multiwell dishes containing cryopreserved, human primary cells. The intent of this Specific Aim is to accomplish the following in sequential order: SA1 - Identify the best CryoStor platform to use as the parent solution for preserving CryoPlates; SA2 - Test a cocktail of cryoprotective agents to determine those that confer the maximum cryoprotection for CryoPlates; SA3 - Test different cell adhesion and culture matrices and gels for their abilities to maximize the adhesion of human primary cells in CryoPlates subsequent to thawing; SA4 - Identify different cooling rates that maximize cell survival; SA5 - Determine if there is a cell specific correlation between hypothermic survival and CryoPlate survival between cells that demonstrate very different levels of hypothermic resilience. BioLife will team with a partner(s) in Phase II to better develop the CryoPlate product for Phase III distribution and licensing.