Cryopreservation of human platelets with 1.4m glycerol at -75°C in PVC blood packs

Abstract

We have previously described a laboratory technique for the cryopreservation of human platelets with 1.4 molar glycerol. For the present study we adapted that method for use in clinical blood banks, and we describe the results of in vitro assays of platelets preserved in PVC packs, with storage at -75°C for 1 month. The results suggested that substitution of the PVC pack for standard, 4ml polypropylene freezing vials had little effect, but substitution of processing (addition and subsequent removal of glycerol) in PVC packs for processing in polystyrene containers resulted in a marked reduction in recovery. The final results, where the entire process was carried out in PVC packs was not satisfactory; only∼50% of the platelets were recovered and they exhibited only ∼30% hypotonic stress response and ∼3% aggregation response to ADP. We conclude that -75°C may be too high a storage temperature, or that the specific blood packs that we used may be unsuitable for this process, or both.