The effect of solution nonideality on modeling transmembrane water transport and diffusion-limited intracellular ice formation during cryopreservation

Abstract

A new model was developed to predict transmembrane water transport and diffusion-limited ice formation in cells during freezing without the ideal-solution assumption that has been used in previous models. The model was applied to predict cell dehydration and intracellular ice formation (IIF) during cryopreservation of mouse oocytes and bovine carotid artery endothelial cells in aqueous sodium chloride (NaCl) solution with glycerol as the cryoprotectant or cryoprotective agent. A comparison of the predictions between the present model and the previously reported models indicated that the ideal-solution assumption results in under-prediction of the amount of intracellular ice at slow cooling rates (<50 K/min). In addition, the lower critical cooling rates for IIF that is lethal to cells predicted by the present model were much lower than those estimated with the ideal-solution assumption. This study represents the first investigation on how accounting for solution nonideality in modeling water transport across the cell membrane could affect the prediction of diffusion-limited ice formation in biological cells during freezing. Future studies are warranted to look at other assumptions alongside nonideality to further develop the model as a useful tool for optimizing the protocol of cell cryopreservation for practical applications. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of the effects of fractal vascular trees on tissue temperature and intracelluar ice formation during combined cancer therapy of cryosurgery and hyperthermia

“…For intracellular ice nucleation mode, the required parameters including U 0 and k 0 for SCN and VCN (U SCN 0 ¼ 2:53 Â 10 8 m À2 s À1 , 38 m À2 s À1 , k SCN 0 ¼ 1:36 Â 10 9 K 5 , k SCN 0 ¼ 1:32 Â 10 12 K 5 ) are determined by fitting a group of experimental data with the above equations [31,48,49].…”

Microfluidics for cryopreservation

“…After exposure to subzero temperatures below the CPA solution freezing point, cells and their surrounding medium may experience different physical events that are cooling rate dependent (Acker, 2007; Mazur, 1984). In Figure 1B, Case I depicts slow freezing that allows sufficient cell dehydration to minimize supercooling of intracellular solutions, resulting in severe cell shrinkage-induced osmotic injuries and high concentration-induced solution injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). In contrast, preventing the freezing of intracellular water, as seen in Case II, allows optimal freezing and partial cell dehydration plus innocuous IIF, resulting in comparatively high cell survival corresponding to tolerable compound injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014).…”

“…In Figure 1B, Case I depicts slow freezing that allows sufficient cell dehydration to minimize supercooling of intracellular solutions, resulting in severe cell shrinkage-induced osmotic injuries and high concentration-induced solution injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). In contrast, preventing the freezing of intracellular water, as seen in Case II, allows optimal freezing and partial cell dehydration plus innocuous IIF, resulting in comparatively high cell survival corresponding to tolerable compound injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). For Case III, rapid freezing causes insufficient cell dehydration and increased super cooling of the intracellular solution, which may attain re-equilibrium by intracellular freezing, resulting in serious IIF injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014).…”

“…In contrast, preventing the freezing of intracellular water, as seen in Case II, allows optimal freezing and partial cell dehydration plus innocuous IIF, resulting in comparatively high cell survival corresponding to tolerable compound injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). For Case III, rapid freezing causes insufficient cell dehydration and increased super cooling of the intracellular solution, which may attain re-equilibrium by intracellular freezing, resulting in serious IIF injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). For Case IV, ultra-rapid freezing induces both extra- and intracellular solutions to form a glass instead of crystallizing, resulting in most cell survival corresponding to complete prevention of cryo-injuries by vitrification (namely, low-CPA vitrification) (Zhao, G. et al, 2014).…”

“…For Case III, rapid freezing causes insufficient cell dehydration and increased super cooling of the intracellular solution, which may attain re-equilibrium by intracellular freezing, resulting in serious IIF injuries (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). For Case IV, ultra-rapid freezing induces both extra- and intracellular solutions to form a glass instead of crystallizing, resulting in most cell survival corresponding to complete prevention of cryo-injuries by vitrification (namely, low-CPA vitrification) (Zhao, G. et al, 2014). The schematic of cooling rate-dependent cell survival (He, 2011) is depicted in Figure 1A.…”