Cryopreservation in Tissue Engineering: Challenges & Prospects

This paper describes the prospects and challenges of cryopreservation of tissue and tissue engineered products for their application to tissue repair and regeneration. The various aspects of cryopreservation include optimization of cell specific freezing parameters such as cooling rate, type and concentration of cryoprotective agents (CPA), media, treatment methods, warming and thawing for the preservation of tissue and tissue engineered products. The key issues related to the cryopreservation of tissue engineered constructs have been addressed explaining the occurrence of physicochemical and biophysical phenomena during cryopreservation, heat and mass transfer limitation and effect of large size of constructs on toxicity and cell viability. It has been described the effect of ice-forming and ice-free cryopreservation on cell viability, control of ice crystal formation by anti-freezing agent and cryopreservation equipments. A brief of ongoing research on cryopreservation of MNCs containing hematopoietic stems cells isolated from cord blood has also been presented.