What is the long-term viability of frozen cord blood?

(Actually, all the studies of Cord Blood viability have been done on samples of separated Mono-Nuclear Cells, not whole blood.) Answer: So far, recovery of viable Stem Cells from Cord Blood is over 90% at 15 years.

References:

• Kobylka, P., et al. 1998, Transplantation, 65(9):1275-1278.
• Mugishima, H., et al. 1999, Bone Marrow Transplant, 23(4):395-396.
• Broxmeyer, H. E., et al. 2003 pnas.0237086100

Background information: In theory, it should be possible to store cells for millenia at -196 C, the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Below -130 C, no liquid water exists in cells, which prevents biochemical reactions between molecules dissolved in water. At -196 C there is not enough thermal energy in the cell to drive any biochemical reaction. The only degradation that can occur at this temperature is reactions caused by cosmic background radiation. It can be calculated that, at normal terrestrial conditions, it would take about 2000 years before such reactions caused a significant amount of damage.

References:

• Mazur P. 1988, Ann NY Acad Sci. 541:514-31. “Stopping biological time. The freezing of living cells”
• Mazur P. 1984, Am J Physiol. 1984 Sep;247(3 Pt 1):C125-42. “Freezing of living cells: mechanisms and implications.”

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