Glucose utilization in blood cells surviving storage at -79 degrees C.

Abstract

Human venous blood was mixed with an equal volume of 40% glycerol in 0.85% saline, equilibrated for 1.5 hr. at 5° C. and then frozen at −79° C. in a solid carbon dioxide – alcohol bath. At various intervals specimens were rapidly thawed and the major portion of the glycerol removed from the cells by diffusion during the logarithmic addition of 79 volumes of 1.0% saline. The cumulative erythrocyte loss by hemolysis during this procedure varied from 4 to 15%, depending upon the length of storage at −79° C. The rate of glycolysis in cells surviving one to four weeks at −79° C. was similar to that reported in fresh erythrocytes and greater than that in cells stored for comparable periods at 5° C. in the common blood preservative, acid citrate – dextrose.