Storage of marine fish erythrocytes in liquid nitrogen

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Chao, L. P., Birkbeck, T. H.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1978
• Subjects: Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb03458.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1978.tb03458.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb03458.x

The preservation of erythrocytes from cod ( Gadus morhua ), saithe ( Pollachius virens ) and mackerel ( Scomber scombrus ) at −196° C was studied using dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotectant. Erythrocyte recoveries of greater than 90% were obtained from all species and cod erythrocytes were stored for eighteen months with insignificant lysis. Larger quantities of blood were stored by removal of plasma from citrated blood prior to the addition of DMSO solution, and by storage of pelleted frozen blood in aluminium canisters in liquid nitrogen. Maximum recoveries of washed intact erythrocytes required thawing of pellets in 125% DMSO solution and washing with buffer containing decreasing concentrations of DMSO. Washed erythrocytes kept at 4° for at least two days showed little haemolysis, were morphologically similar to fresh erythrocytes and equally susceptible to the δ‐haemolysin of Staphylococcus aureus .