The effect of EIF dynamics on the cryopreservation process of a size distributed cell population

S. Fadda, H. Briesen, A. Cincotti

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Typical mathematical modeling of cryopreservation of cell suspensions assumes a thermodynamic equilibrium between the ice and liquid water in the extracellular solution. This work investigates the validity of this assumption by introducing a population balance approach for dynamic extracellular ice formation (EIF) in the absence of any cryo-protectant agent (CPA). The population balance model reflects nucleation and diffusion-limited growth in the suspending solution whose driving forces are evaluated in the relevant phase diagram.This population balance description of the extracellular compartment has been coupled to a model recently proposed in the literature [Fadda et al., AIChE Journal, 56, 2173-2185, (2010)], which is capable of quantitatively describing and predicting internal ice formation (IIF) inside the cells. The cells are characterized by a size distribution (i.e. through another population balance), thus overcoming the classic view of a population of identically sized cells.From the comparison of the system behavior in terms of the dynamics of the cell size distribution it can be concluded that the assumption of a thermodynamic equilibrium in the extracellular compartment is not always justified. Depending on the cooling rate, the dynamics of EIF needs to be considered.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)218-231
Number of pages14
JournalCryobiology
Volume62
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2011

Keywords

  • Cell number density distribution
  • Extracellular ice formation
  • Intracellular ice formation
  • Membrane permeability
  • Population balance

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