Developing the cryomacroscope for cryopreservation applications

This study concerns the development of a new device prototype to address the unmet need for visualization of physical effects associated with large-scale cryopreservation - the preservation of tissues at very low temperatures. An early prototype of this device has been presented in 2005, and was termed the cryomacroscope. The goal in the current study is to develop an advanced-stage prototype of the cryomacroscope, with the following design objectives: (1) to visualize and record the process of cryopreservation in situ, (2) to design the device as an add-on unit for commercially available controlled-rate freezers, (3) to enable scanning of large samples, (4) to enable identification of physical effects such as ice formation and fracturing, and (5) to integrate data into a single movie, including time, temperature, and camera position. Results of this study demonstrate glass formation, crystallization, and fracture formation during a typical cryopreservation protocol.