Preservation of Mouse Bone Marrow at −79° C. with Dimethyl Sulphoxide

Abstract

DIMETHYL sulphoxide was used by Lovelock and Bishop¹ to protect bovine erythrocytes against the damaging effects of freezing to, and thawing from, low temperatures. The bovine erythrocyte is impermeable to glycerol, which does not protect it from the damage caused by freezing. Dimethyl sulphoxide has recently been shown to protect mouse bone marrow from the damaging effects of freezing to −79° C. (ref. 2). After thawing, the protected cells retained between 50 and 60 per cent of their ability to synthesize lipids and proteins. Fluorescence microscopy with acridine orange revealed the presence of many intact erythroid and myeloid cells. It has now been demonstrated that mouse bone marrow stored for one month at −79° C. in the presence of dimethyl sulphoxide will prevent the death of lethally irradiated mice.