From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@turbont.net)
Date: Mon Feb 14 2000 - 13:48:58 MST
CurtAdams@aol.com wrote:
> Vladmir Gelfand did this (for other purposes) while trying
> to preserve a melanin-producing cell line. Freezing pops
> the melanin-containing organelles and the release of
> melanin kills the cells somehow. He put the cells through
> several freeze-thaw cycles; he ended up with a line that
> adapted by making very little melanin (grey cells, he calls
> them.) So it's definitely *possible*, although melanophores
> are a bit odd freezing-wise.
Uh oh, now visions of real grey goo, grey aliens.... ;)
>
>
> It might be interesting to see if HeLa cells or some other
> such workhorse has already developed such tendencies (i.e.
> compare an old frozen line to one that's been through lots
> of cycles)
>
> >The hard part is to do this in vivo rather than in vitro,
> >since we want cryoprotectant mechanisms that work on tissues rather
> >than single cells.
>
> I think a cryopreservation trick might be useful even if
> you couldn't do full-tissue preservation with that one trick.
> It's a pretty cheap and painless experiment, anyway.
>
> P.S.: The problems with melanophore freezing apply to
> human melanophores too. A successfully revived corpsicle
> might end up an albino even if the other problems were
> successfully resolved.
Not good if the ozone layer is gonna get wiped out.... nor very good if
your going to work in space...
Mike Lorrey
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