Reviving brain tissue that has been cryogenically frozen without damage has been achieved for the first time in a groundbreaking experiment. Researchers utilized a process called vitrification to treat slices of mouse brains with cryoprotectants, preventing the formation of ice crystals that can harm the tissue. Upon revival, the brain slices displayed a restoration of electrical activity, potentially suggesting the retention of memories.
The concept of placing humans in a state of suspended animation has long been a fascination in science fiction, with iconic works like Ridley Scott’s “Alien” and Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series exploring the idea. However, recent developments challenge the notion of such scenarios being purely fictional. Alexander German and his team at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg successfully induced a state of suspended animation in hippocampus slices from mouse brains, demonstrating the possibility of revival after cryogenic freezing.
This achievement represents a significant advancement from previous attempts to revive cryogenically frozen mammalian tissue. By employing vitrification, a method that prevents ice crystallization and preserves tissue integrity, the researchers were able to restore electrical activity to near-normal levels in the revived brain segments. The study, published on the preprint server bioArxiv, outlines the meticulous process of cryopreservation using non-toxic cryoprotectants to minimize tissue damage.
The brain slices were carefully cooled to -196 °C in liquid nitrogen and then maintained at -150 °C in a freezer for a week to ensure their preservation. Upon rewarming the tissue to -10 °C, observations revealed no crystallization during the cooling or reheating phases. The revived brain tissue exhibited substantial recovery, with intact synapses and possible preservation of memories, though further research is needed to confirm this.
The successful revival of frozen brain tissue not only opens up new possibilities in cryonics but also sheds light on the potential for preserving and restoring neural functions.
“Recent synaptic events have illuminated that brain activity reboots following the cessation of all continuous dynamical processes in the vitreous state,” the researcher and his team conveyed in the same comprehensive study. “Our research represents a significant advancement over prior endeavors in cryopreserving adult brain tissue.”
Not only adult brain tissue, but also tissue from other organs like rat hearts and livers have been effectively cryopreserved and successfully revived in the past. The possibility of extending this to the preservation of entire organs, or even whole organisms, in a state of suspended animation necessitates further exploration and investigation. Some animals possess the ability to produce their own cryoprotectants, aiding them in transitioning to a state of torpor as a survival mechanism during harsh winters. This could potentially offer valuable insights to scientists in their quest to achieve artificial suspended animation.
The concepts explored in works such as Alien and Foundation hint at the potential benefits of inducing suspended animation in humans during space travel. Such a measure could significantly mitigate the risks of tissue damage resulting from exposure to microgravity and high levels of radiation in space. While human expeditions to Mars are not yet a reality, the idea of employing suspended animation in such missions is undeniably intriguing.
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