Cryopreservation of Rat Peripheral Nerves and Schwann Cells: Role of Ferric Sulfate.

Abstract

Cryopreservation has now become an important tool to store the tissues/Cells under ultra low temperatures either till their use or for the purpose to have sufficient tissue in hand. To search for optimal cryopreservative conditions under which glia tissue can be preserved without any alterations to their ultrastructural integrity, we cryopreserved the Peripheral nerves & Schwann Cells(SC), obtained from more than 200 rats, under different concentrations of glycerol with or without micrograms quantities of ferric sulfate LFc2(S04)3x3H201 for periods ranging from one to four months. The cells viability was tested in minced nerves & cultured SC & ¡t was observed that while the former retained exceptional cells viabilities of 91.11% & 80.58%, when kept at -196 C & -40 C respectively, in the cryopreservative medium containing 20% of glycerol with 2p.g/ml of ferric sulfate, the SC demonstrated significantly better viabilities of 84.36% & 81.82% at -196 C & -40 C in the freezing medium containing 20% glycerol with 2.tglml & 5.tgIml of ferric sulfate respectively. It is concluded that the ultra freezing conditions for minced tissue & dissociated cells differ at different low temperatures & that ferric sulfate plays a vital role in this regard.