Cryopreservation and global warming (original) (raw)
In Vitro Cellular & …
Cryogenic storage techniques have been developed and adopted for more than 100 (mainly agricultural) plant species worldwide, and within Australia at least 30 critically endangered plants have been stored long term using cryogenic approaches. Nevertheless, there are many species that are very difficult to store using current procedures, and organizations involved in plant germplasm conservation (such as botanic gardens, agricultural institutions, etc.) that utilise cryogenic storage techniques are in some respects at a crossroads in their endeavours to cheaply and effectively store a wide selection of species and genotypes for conservation and agricultural/horticultural purposes. For taxa that are not amenable to current cryogenic approaches, new ways of developing cryogenic storage techniques need to be investigated, including research into the ways in which cell membranes interact and change when cooled to cryogenic temperatures (-196 o C in liquid nitrogen) in the presence of various cryoprotective agents. This review highlights the current state of cryogenic research both within Australia and internationally, provides a case study on threatened plant species and also describes several new research initiatives that aim to provide answers to why some native species are quite amenable to widely utilised cryogenic approaches while others are currently non-responsive. New approaches aim to integrate laboratory and membrane modeling paradigms to provide guidelines for the development of new cryopreservation protocols and to assess the robustness of theoretical models in predicting optimum cryogenic conditions.
Chapter: Advances in Cryogenic Techniques for the Long-Term Preservation of Plant Biodiversity
Biotechnology and Biodiversity. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, Volume 4, Edited by M.R. Ahuja, K.G. Ramawat, 10/2014: pages 129-170; Springer International Publishing., ISBN: 978-3-319-09381-9, 2014
This chapter presents different technical aspects related to the development and large-scale application of cryopreservation techniques, as a biotechnological approach for the long-term storage of plant biodiversity. The main cryogenic procedures and the key steps for their successful adaptation to diverse forms of germplasm are described. Some representative examples of cryopreservation of different plant species are presented to illustrate the significant progress achieved in the practical utilization of cryopreservation as a complementary alternative for germplasm conservation. In addition, other potential uses of this technology to support genetic breeding programs, and its recent utilization to eliminate systemic plant pathogens through cryotherapy are discussed.
Winter is coming: the future of cryopreservation
BMC Biology, 2021
The preservative effects of low temperature on biological materials have been long recognised, and cryopreservation is now widely used in biomedicine, including in organ transplantation, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. The lack of organs for transplantation constitutes a major medical challenge, stemming largely from the inability to preserve donated organs until a suitable recipient is found. Here, we review the latest cryopreservation methods and applications. We describe the main challenges-scaling up to large volumes and complex tissues, preventing ice formation and mitigating cryoprotectant toxicity-discuss advantages and disadvantages of current methods and outline prospects for the future of the field.
Cryo letters
Cryopreservation of plant tissues in liquid nitrogen is now used for long-term conservation of vegetatively-propagated crops. Development of standard techniques for cryopreservation is important to the international plant-conservation community for successful implementation of storage protocols in diverse and internationally dispersed laboratories. Evaluation of the critical points of each preservation technique will greatly assist in developing and validating internationally-used cryopreservation protocols. The goals of this project were to assess critical points of two major cryopreservation techniques (PVS2 vitrification and encapsulation dehydration) during their transfer to international laboratories; analyze post-storage viability for each technique and location; and develop recommendations based on the assessments and data from the participating laboratories. Investigators from Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland and UK participated in a 2-week training workshop in cryopreservation m...
Cryobiotechnology of tropical seeds – scale, scope and hope
Acta Horticulturae, 2017
Plants provide essential ecosystem services that benefit humankind, yet their existence is subject to an increasing number of threats, including global environmental change. Anticipated impacts on future access to medicines, nutritious foods, particularly indigenous fruits, and sustainable biofuels, demands that action is taken to protect and conserve such valuable, neglected and underutilized species (NUS), especially in the tropics where the use of non-timber forest products (NTFP) is considerable. Primarily, the protection of such plant genetic resources is achieved through the complementary approaches of in situ and ex situ conservation; for the latter, generally as dry seeds stored at-20°C. However, tropical forest species-which are estimated to constitute about 50% of the world's plants-tend not to be so readily amenable to such an approach, and attention is now focusing increasingly on cryopreservation. This review considers the following issues: how plant cryopreservation studies have evolved over time and the extent of application of cryobiotechnology (scale); the policy current drivers and biodiversity needs that provide a framework for current and future plant cryopreservation studies (scope); and which technological innovations, knowledge and understanding might fast-track the science and accelerate the mainstreaming of plant cryopreservation particularly for tropical seeds (hope). Whilst significant progress in plant/seed cryobiotechnology has been made in the last decades, a coordinated global research and training programme aimed at accelerating the cryobanking of tropical plants of value to humankind is now urgently needed.
Advances in Cryogenic Techniques for the Long-Term Preservation of Plant Biodiversity.
This chapter presents different technical aspects related to the development and large-scale application of cryopreservation techniques, as a biotechnological approach for the long-term storage of plant biodiversity. The main cryogenic procedures and the key steps for their successful adaptation to diverse forms of germplasm are described. Some representative examples of cryopreservation of different plant species are presented to illustrate the significant progress achieved in the practical utilization of cryopreservation as a complementary alternative for germplasm conservation. In addition, other potential uses of this technology to support genetic breeding programs, and its recent utilization to eliminate systemic plant pathogens through cryotherapy are discussed.
2001
Shoot-tips of Ribes nigrum cultivars 'Ben Tron' and 'Ben More' were capable of surviving and regenerating new shoots following cryopreservation. Recovery responses were significantly enhanced when vitrification methods of cryopreservation were used. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that vitrification phenomena were reproducible and that it was possible to stabilise the glassy state on rewarming. The potential for Ribes germplasm cryopreservation to be utilised in large scale conservation initiatives is evaluated in this study.
Plant Cryopreservation Importance, Approaches and Future Trends
Biomedical Engineering
Plant cryopreservation is useful for long term storage of clonal germplasm and endangered species. Clonally propagated crops which produce recalcitrant seeds cannot be easily conserved using conventional methods. Preservation of plants in vitro is limited to two years and not ideal for germplasm storage for a very long time. The need to conserve plant genetic resources through cryopreservation techniques to mitigate the effects of climate change such as extinction of certain plant species cannot be underestimated. Different cryopreservation methods including dehydration, programmed freezing, vitrification and v cryo-plate are employed in the long-term storage of different plants. These methods are usually based on the principle of the removal of freezable water from tissues by physical or osmotic dehydration followed by ultra-rapid freezing. There have been several advancements in the identification and use of cryoprotective agents, nonetheless, its toxicity remains a challenge. To ...
Cryopreservation Biotechnology in Biomedical and Biological Sciences
Cryopreservation Biotechnology in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, 2018
Cryopreservation is the process of freezing and storing biological material at ultra-low temperatures (such as -196⁰C) in liquid nitrogen (LN2) for unlimited periods. Thanks to the application of this biotechnology, all biological activities including the biochemical reactions leading to cell death and DNA degradation discontinue. From this point of view, cryopreservation biotechnology focuses on preservation of cells that have many applications in the fields of human and veterinary medicine, agriculture and aquaculture. In addition, this form of biotechnology also has many applications in biomedical research, specifically in the areas of immunology, virology, neurobiology, toxicology and the pharmaceutical industry. Cryopreservation Biotechnology in Biomedical and Biological Sciences describes principles and applications of cryopreservation biotechnology in different research areas and includes seven chapters that have been written by experts in their research fields. The book chapters are divided into four sections. Section I, "Mechanism of Cryopreservation" contains one chapter entitled "Cryoprotectants and their usage in cryopreservation process", which describes the importance and mechanism of the cryopreservation process and also its comparison to vitrification. In addition, the functions and physical and chemical properties of cryoprotectants are discussed. Section II, "Application of Cryopreservation in Human Medicine Researches" is divided into four chapters. The first chapter, "Clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques using cryopreserved gametes and embryos in human medicine", provides valuable information regarding fertility treatments in human reproductive medicine, focusing on cryopreservation of spermatozoa, oocytes and embryos. The second chapter, "Cryopreservation of platelets: advances and current practices" focuses on the long-term preservation of platelets, which is necessary for the coagulation of blood and stopping bleeding. The third chapter, "Cryopreservation of preantral follicles", provides valuable information regarding the structure and development of ovarian follicles. Beside this, advantages and necessities of using oocytes in preantral follicles for the aim of cryopreservation are explained in humans and mammals. The fourth chapter, "Vitrification: Fundamental principles and its application for cryopreservation of human reproductive cells", is related to mechanisms of cryopreservation in terms of application of this technique in human medicine with emphasis on reproductive cells. In this way, mechanisms underlying the problem of the intra- and extracellular ice formation, the role of cryoprotectants, stages of the warming and cooling process and use of this biotechnology in the field of IVF industry are explained. Section III, "Application of Cryopreservation in Veterinary Medicine Research", contains one chapter entitled "Biological signals of sperm membrane resistance to cryoinjury in boars", discusses biological mechanisms before the cryopreservation/vitrification process causing cryoinjuries in sperm cells in boars. Section IV, "Application of Cryopreservation in Agricultural Research", contains one chapter entitled "Cryopreservation protocols for grapevine shoot tips", which presents valuable information regarding cryopreservation of shoot tips of grapevines, which is an economically important agricultural product. This book covers different applications of cryopreservation biotechnology. I hope that this book will be helpful for researchers studying cryobiology and related issues. I would like to thank all the authors for their distinguished contributions, IntechOpen Publishing Company, and its Author Service Manager Ms. Dolores Kuzelj for her help in publishing this book.