Hi all- I work with artificial insemination and have recently wondered how sperm/ eggs/ embryos be frozen in liquid nitrogen (for years!) and then later thawed (in about 60 seconds) where it’s then back to functioning like normal, but you can’t freeze a living person and then unfreeze them again? At what developmental point can you stop freezing biological material before it won’t work again? (No political motive here, just questioning the science behind it, please please no arguing)
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Typically the are frozen slowly with a cryoprotectant in the media, DMSO is the most commonly used in cell culture in research. The DMSO can hydrogen bond with water molecules preventing large ice crystals from forming. Ice crystals will rupture membranes killing cells.
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