X-Message-Number: 2289
Newsgroups: sci.cryonics
From:  (Gregory Bloom)
Subject: dehydration
Message-ID: <>
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 93 05:35:24 GMT

I was wondering whether dehydration might help reduce the injury from
cryosuspension.  As I understand it, most of the damage of cryosuspension
results from huge osmotic pressure gradients across the cell membrane
as pure water freezes and ions concentrate, drawing water out of the cell.  
This results in damage to the membrane.  Also, large pockets of extracellular
water freeze and separate cells from one another.

Why don't we pre-dehydrate tissues by using a gently increasing hypertonic
perfusate prior to freezing?  We would reduce cell volume, but by raising
the ionic concentration both inside and outside the cell, we make the
ratio of intra vs. extra-cellular ionic concentrations closer and
less subject to the creation of large osmotic differences across the
membrane as the smaller amount of extracellular water freezes.  

Less water would also decrease the mechanical damage of cell separation.  

Does this make sense?  Has it been tried?

Gregory Bloom


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