Britney Spears would dream of it, American baseball player Ted Williams tried it, and scientists did it… Cryogenics (or cryonicscryonics) has fascinated for almost two centuries and, for the first time, researchers from Fudan University in Shanghai announced, in an article published in the journal Cell Reports Methodshaving succeeded in bringing human brain tissue that had been frozen back to life!
These organoids, manufactured in the laboratory, benefited from a very specific recipe called “Medy” and composed of four ingredients: methylcellulose, which helps maintain the structure of cells,ethyleneethylene glycol and DMSO, which protect cells during freezing, and Y27632, which reduces cell death.
A feat that opens up many perspectives
During the freeze-thaw process, the organoids were dipped in a Medy mixture and frozen quickly, then thawed slowly to avoid damage. Result: the cells functioned as well at the end of the process as before being frozen, and the structure of these mini-brains was well preserved! A real feat that could save time, moneymoney and resources by producing large quantities of organoids at once.
Researchers hope this will allow the creation of a bank of mini-brains to study neurological diseases such as epilepsy or Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, the preserved organoids could be used to reliably test new drugs. Ultimately, Medy could even help prepare brain tissue transplants to repair damage caused by injury or disease. An effective method to the point of being able to maintain a complete body? It’s a little early to say, but the news should still delight fans of Star Wars and fans of freezing boxes.
