Researchers have used magnetic nanotechnology to safely and successfully reheat frozen animal tissue. The discovery, reported in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Nano Letters, could be useful in making human organ transplants safer for patients, as frozen organs can deteriorate during transport.
According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, approximately 6,000 people die each year before receiving an organ transplant. One reason for this is the loss of organs in cold storage during transport, where delays cause them to heat up prematurely and deteriorate.
To solve this problem, researchers developed a technique known as nanoheating, pioneered by collaborator John Bischof, to employ magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic fields to thaw frozen tissue quickly, evenly and safely.
These nanoparticles are extremely small bar magnets that, when exposed to alternating magnetic fields, generate enough heat to rapidly thaw animal tissue stored at −150 degrees Celsius in a solution of the nanoparticles and a cryoprotectant. The researchers were also able to develop an approach to prevent overheating regions where the particles congregated, avoiding the risk of tissue damage and toxicity of the cryoprotectant.
Applying this method to cultured human skin fibroblasts and pig carotid arteries, the researchers found that cell viability remained high after rewarming for a few minutes, suggesting that thawing was rapid and safe. The ability to control tissue rewarming is a breakthrough for long-term organ cryopreservation and, for the researchers, offers hope for more life-saving transplants.
This content was originally published in Magnetic nanotechnology helps reheat frozen tissue for transplant on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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