Message #6875
Date: Tue, 10 Sep 96 18:49:26
From: Steve Bridge <steve@alcor.org>
Subject: More on Rat hearts
To CryoNet
>From Steve Bridge, Alcor
September 10, 1996
In reply to: Message #6865
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 19:56:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <cp@panix.com>
Subject: Rat Hearts
>paper by the father of cryobiology, Basile Luyet, describing
>an experiment in which he froze pieces of rat hearts after
>perfusion with 20 percent ethylene glycol. After being
>rewarmed, 44 percent of the heart pieces resumed rhythmic
>contractions. The paper by Luyet was titled "Resumption of
>contractions after freezing in liquid nitrogen in small
>pieces of rat heart containing pacemaking centers."
>Naturally, I am eager to learn in what respect the recently
>reported experiment with rat hearts differs from the
>experiment performed by Luyet twenty-five years ago. Could
>we get some more information on this, please?
Charles, we won't be able to give much in the way of answers to that
question until the *Cryobiology* article is published. The Vissers
themselves may have something they can say which would not violate their
agreement with the journal; however, we (Alcor and CI) cannot discuss the
technology in any kind of detail here yet.
One major difference I CAN report is that these were entire working
hearts, surgically removed from the rats, perfused so they continued to
beat on their own, then frozen. The thawed and reperfused hearts (not
cut-up pieces) exhibited seemingly normal heartbeat (coordinated) in all
chambers. It looked to me like a good rat cardiac surgeon could have then
transplanted the heart back into a rat. That sounds different to me.
Stephen Bridge, President (steve@alcor.org)
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Non-profit cryonic suspension services since 1972.
7895 E. Acoma Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale AZ 85260-6916
Phone (602) 922-9013 (800) 367-2228 FAX (602) 922-9027
info@alcor.org for general requests
http://www.alcor.org
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