Tami lee wrote:
Hi everyone.. Today a post doc asked me a question regarding 30% sucrose and
the chemistry behind
WHY it is such a good cryoprotectant.  Can anyone explain this for us? Someone
had told him that it works because the sucrose replaces the water in the
tissue, thus preventing ice
crystal artifact.  He wants to know why it works since sucrose is also a
water based solution. With sucrose, are
ice crystals still formed, just smaller?
Also, what role does the temperature of the Histobath play?  Are most
Histobaths kept around -150?
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Dear Tami Lee,
Due to the infiltration with sucrose there will be less water present
(partial dehydration).This results in smaller ice crystal diameters.
More info can be found a.o. in:
Tokuyasu (1973) J. Cell Biol. 57, 551
Menco et al. (1978) Cell Tissue Res. 193,503
Tokuyasu (1983) J. Histochem. Cytochem. 31,164
Hope this is of help.
Peter

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Peter van de Plas
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