Rate-controlled Cryopreservation and Thawing of Mammalian Cells
Cryopreservation is the use of very low temperatures to preserve structurally intact living cells. Mammalian cells are cryopreserved to avoid loss by contamination, to minimize genetic change in continuous cell lines, and to avoid transformation in finite cell lines. The cells which survive the thermodynamic journey from the warm incubator to the –196°C liquid nitrogen storage tank are free from the influences of time and thus cryopreservation is a critical component of cell culture. After all, an established cell line is a valuable resource and its replacement is expensive and time consuming. Successful cryopreservation of cells requires not only that the cells be handled in a proper fashion for harvesting with equipment in place to ensure consistency, reproducibility and sterility, but also that a correct choice and amount of cryoprotective agent is added, a controlled rate of freezing is used and a standardized storage method of cells under cryogenic conditions is performed. The following protocol describes a general procedure for cryopreserving cultured cells. For non-standard cells, always refer to the cell-specific product insert.
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Cryopreservation Protocol Cryopreservation Protocol
Posted 03 May, 2011
Rate-controlled Cryopreservation and Thawing of Mammalian Cells
Posted 03 May, 2011
Cryopreservation is the use of very low temperatures to preserve structurally intact living cells. Mammalian cells are cryopreserved to avoid loss by contamination, to minimize genetic change in continuous cell lines, and to avoid transformation in finite cell lines. The cells which survive the thermodynamic journey from the warm incubator to the –196°C liquid nitrogen storage tank are free from the influences of time and thus cryopreservation is a critical component of cell culture. After all, an established cell line is a valuable resource and its replacement is expensive and time consuming. Successful cryopreservation of cells requires not only that the cells be handled in a proper fashion for harvesting with equipment in place to ensure consistency, reproducibility and sterility, but also that a correct choice and amount of cryoprotective agent is added, a controlled rate of freezing is used and a standardized storage method of cells under cryogenic conditions is performed. The following protocol describes a general procedure for cryopreserving cultured cells. For non-standard cells, always refer to the cell-specific product insert.
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