Viability of Glycerolized Red Blood Cells Frozen in Liquid Nitrogen

Abstract

Freeze‐preservation of human red blood cells with a low concentration of glycerol (approximately 20 per cent w/v), liquid‐nitrogen refrigeration, and a stainless steel container was evaluated by measurements of the posttransfusion survival of 10‐ml samples of 51chromium‐labeled autologous red blood cells, together with several measurements in vitro. Removal of glycerol prior to transfusion (the major technologic problem) was carried out both by serial centrifugation (batch washing) and by continuous centrifugation, using either predilution or sequence wash cycles. A biologic product of glycerolized red blood cells was prepared to the following specifications: the recovery in vitro of at least 90 per cent of the red blood cells after thawing and washing was achieved, together with 24‐hour posttransfusion survival in vivo of approximately 85 per cent, a total amount of supernatant hemoglobin in the unit on the day of washing of approximately 450 mg, a preparation time of approximately 30 minutes, and a total volume of wash solution of less than 3.0 liters. The present urgent need in frozen blood preservation is for systems which use disposable software in a completely automated wash cycle.

The preservation of erythrocytes at liquid nitrogen temperatures with hydroxyethyl starch: the removal of hydroxyethyl starch from erythrocytes after thawing

“…Meryman suggests that extracellular agents such as HES or PVP (12) protect erythrocytes from freeze-thaw damage by altering the membrane to allow a reversible efflux and influx of solute, thus preventing the formation of excessive osmotic gradients (11). The initial 15% loss of intracellular erythrocyte K+ observed by us corresponds to the K' loss from glycerolized cells reported by Valeri (17,18). This suggests that mechanisms other than "solute leak" may be involved in the cryoprotection of erythrocytes by HES, such as hydrogen bonding (5), and stabilization of the lattice structures (6).…”

Immunocamouflaged RBC for Alloimmunized Patients

“…However, even antibody screening does not identify patients alloimmunized to less common RBC antigens or, more importantly, prevent primary alloimmunization to non-tested antigens. To date, the only solutions to prevent alloimmunization, or for individuals with very rare blood type, are to store autologous blood (4°C), maintain an inventory of frozen rare blood group units, keep a blood bank registry of potential donors with rare blood types, utilize extensive RBC phenotyping prior to transfusion and/or encourage minority blood donations [7,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. While all of these steps are prudent and variably effective, situations still arise where an appropriate (or even satisfactory) blood match cannot be made.…”

Accumulation of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in whole blood, platelet concentrates, and platelet-poor plasma. 1. Effect of DEHP on platelet survival and function.

“…An equal volume of a solution containing per 100 ml 2.88 g mannitol, 0.65 g NaCl, and 35 g glycerol was added to the red cell volume (20,24 . Some of the units of whole blood were centrifuged at 4500g for 3 min, and the platelet-rich plasma was removed.…”