Did you know that Arctic and Antarctic insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles and resurrection plants create cryoprotectants in their bodies to minimize freezing damage during winter periods?
Wood Frog
e.g. Lithobatessy lvaticu
Wood frogs build up cryoprotectantsolutes, such as glucose and urea,in their blood months before winter arrives that lower the freezing temperature of their cells, helping them survive.
Alaskan Beetle
e.g. Upis ceramboides
The exceptional cold-hardiness of Alaskan beetles is due to xylomannan, a sugar-based antifreeze that promotes membrane stability, preventing the entry of extracellular ice into the cell.
Stoneflies
e.g. Nemoura arctica
While many insects migrate or hibernate during the frosty season, stoneflies have adapted to freezing temperatures by synthesizing glycerol and proteins, giving them an advantage over other aquatic insects.
Resurrection plants
e.g. Haberlea rhodopensis
These plant’s ability to store vast quantities of sugars in its tissues is the hidden secret underlying its tolerance to subzero temperatures, protecting important biomolecules that would otherwise suffer irreparable damage.
Biomimetic Approach
Animals already have mechanisms in place to live amid freezing climates that incorporate NADESs compounds. Des Soluto is developing an improved CPA to be used in current cryopreservation procedures, not just by replicating nature but also by leveraging our expertise of such systems
Solution
NADESs have a strong effect on the water crystallization/freezing process, being able to reduce the number of ice crystals and hence ice crystal damage in cells, which is a crucial parameter for cell survival upon freezing. Our NADES base cryoprotectant, CryoDes provides the following advantages:
- DMSO Free. Natural origin, with low toxicity towards cells.
- Biocompatible. No need to remove before application; it can be injected together with the cells.
- No need of liquid nitrogen. Cells can be stored at - 80 ºC.
- At least as efficient as DMSO in cell cryopreservation with a similar post thawing recovery.