Chapter 7.1

Freezing of Cells

Investigations into Cryoinjury

In this chapter, we will review some of the classic papers in the field of cryobiology to gain some insight into the current theories of cryoinjury, the experimental basis for those ideas, and the concepts that have been used to develop our modern (but far from complete) understanding of the various phenomena associated with cryobiology. The student should not take these brief notes as a substitute for critically reading each of these papers, nor should she consider this list as giving a complete survey of the field. Some of these papers have been chosen merely to expose students from a particular background to a way of thinking, or a literature, that they might otherwise have not experienced. Others are classics in the field by all accounts. This list is a starting point. There are many excellent papers that express fundamental ideas that are not included. Perhaps with time the list will grow more complete.

Hypotheses of the Mechanisms of Injury During Freezing and Thawing

The Haemolysis of Human Red Blood Cells by Freezing and Thawing by James Lovelock.
The Mechanism of the Protective Action of Glycerol Against Haemolysis by Freezing and Thawing by James Lovelock.
Kinetics of Water Loss from Cells at Subzero Temperatures and the Likelihood of Intracellular Freezing by Peter Mazur.
Modified Model for the Mechanism of Freezing Injury in Erythrocytes; Osmotic Stress as a Mechanism for Freezing Injury by Harold Meryman.
The Role of Membrane Proteins in Freezing Injury and Resistance by J Levitt & J Dear.
A Two-Factor Hypothesis of Freezing Injury by Peter Mazur, Stan Leibo, & E Chu.
Effects of Cooling Rate on Thermal Shock Hemolysis; Membrane Leakage of Solutes after Thermal Shock or Freezing; Thermal Shock and Dilution Shock as the Causes of Freezing Injury by John Farrant & G Morris.
Freeze-Thaw Injury to Isolated Spinach Protoplasts and its Simulation at Above Freezing Temperatures by Steven Wiest & Peter Steponkus.

Investigations into the Mechanism of Intracellular Freezing Injury

Nucleation of Intracellular Water by Extracellular Ice by Peter Mazur.
Freeze-Induced Electrical Transients and Cryoinjury by Peter Steponkus, Darryl Stout, Joe Wolfe, & Richard Lovelace.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Intracellular Ice Formation During Freezing of Biological Cells by Mehmet Toner and Ernie Cravalho.
Mechanisms of Intracellular Ice Formation; The Osmotic Rupture Hypothesis of Intracellular Freezing Injury by Ken Muldrew & Locksley McGann.