Commentary on the preservation of human RBC, platelets, plasma clotting proteins and peripheral blood mononuclear hematopoietic stem cells by freezing and storage in a 80 C mechanical freezer

Abstract

MA has been supported for the past 50 years by the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Naval Medical Research and Development Command, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to develop, test, and evaluate procedures to preserve blood and blood products to treat military and civilian personnel subjected to trauma and radiation injury. Human RBC have been successfully frozen at -80°C for at least 21 years; human platelets have been successfully frozen for at least 2 years; human plasma has been successfully frozen at -80°C for at least 14 years; and human peripheral blood mononuclear hematopoietic stem cells have been successfully frozen at -80°C for at least 1½ years. The 50 year experience at the NBRL, Boston, MA has demonstrated that frozen red blood cell cells, frozen platelets, and frozen plasma can be used to successfully treat wounded casualties without any adverse events.Extensive in vitro studies have been published together with in vivo studies in normal volunteers, patients with hematologic disorders, patients subjected to surgical procedures with and without cardiopulmonary bypass, and patients subjected to traumatic injuries [1][2][3]. In addition, studies were performed on dogs and baboons to assess the safety and therapeutic effectiveness of autologous and allogeneic blood products.During the past 50 years, the preservation of the safe and therapeutically effective viable and functional RBC, platelets, plasma clotting protein and peripheral blood mononuclear hematopoietic stem cells has been accomplished by freezing and storage in a -80°C mechanical freezer.Storage of blood products in a -80°C mechanical freezer produces a freezing rate of 2 to 3°C per minute.Human RBC have been successfully frozen with 40% W/V glycerol at -80°C for at least 21 years [4]; human platelets have been successfully frozen at -80°C with 6% DMSO for at least 2 years [5,6] human plasma has been successfully frozen at -80°C for at least 14 years [7] and human peripheral blood mononuclear hematopoietic stem cells have been successfully frozen at -80°C for at least 1½ years [8].The freezing rate of 2-3°C per minute which occurs with the storage of platelets in a -80°C mechanical freezer produces a bimodal population of human and baboon platelets. The bimodal population represents a population of platelets that circulates like platelets stored at room temperature and a population of platelets that functions shortly after transfusion like platelets stored at 4°C [9][10][11][12].The procedures to freeze human RBC with 40% W/V glycerol, AbstractFor the past 50 years, NBRL has evaluated the cryopreservation of RBC, platelets, peripheral blood pluripotential hematopoietic mononuclear adult stem cells, and plasma to treat military personnel subjected to traumatic injuries and those exposed to radiation injury.The research was funded by the US-Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, the Office of Naval Research and the Congress of the United States to provide frozen blood products to supplement the liquid preserved blood produc...