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by theallknowing on January 22nd, 2007

theallknowing

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Is cryopreservation possible for keeping a whole human alive for years?

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  • by amanda_0517 on January 22nd, 2007

    amanda_0517

    Embryo freezing: Cryopreservation

    Cryopreservation is freezing tissue or cells in order to preserve it for the future. With current technology, they can freeze some cells (like sperm and embryos) and small tissue fragments fairly well. I think we could all think of a few people that would be better as frozen wall decorations. However, they can't freeze and thaw people yet...also here are some examples:
    Nevertheless, suitable combinations of

    cryoprotectants and regimes of rapid cooling and rinsing during warming often allow the successful cryopreservation of biological materials, particularly cell suspensions or thin tissue samples. Examples include:

    Semen (which can be used successfully almost indefinitely after cryopreservation)

    Blood (special cells for transfusion, or stem cells)

    Tissue samples like tumors and histological cross sections
    human eggs (oocytes)
    "[Human] embryos that are 2, 4 or 8 cells when frozen ... pregnancies have been reported from embryos stored for 9 years. ... Many studies have evaluated the children born from frozen embryos (“frosties”). The result has uniformly been positive with no increase in birth defects or development abnormalities."

    Cryopreservation of humans, either the entire body or just the head, is known as cryonics. This is in a different category from the cryopreservation examples described above, because while many cryopreserved cell suspensions, thin tissue samples, and some small organs have been warmed and successfully used, this has not yet been the case for cryopreserved heads or bodies. Proponents of cryonics make a case that cryopreservation using present technology, particularly vitrification of the brain, may be suffficent to preserve people in an "information theoretic" sense so that they could be revived by vastly advanced future technologies.

    In general, cryopreservation is easier for thin samples and small clumps of individual cells, because these can be cooled more quickly and so require lower doses of toxic cryoprotectants. The goal of cryopreserving human livers and hearts for storage and transplant is still some distance away.

    HOPE THIS HELPS SOME!

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