In a history-making exercise, the Fudan University in Shanghai (China) not only broke a previously held record but managed to revive a human brain. The brain was frozen for more than a year and the team from this university broke a record in cryogenic technology. This remarkable feat is now published in the well-known academic journal known as Cell Reports Methods.
Led by Shao Zhicheng, the team from Fudan University in China is credited for its stellar work as they created a ground breaking cryopreservation method titled MEDY.
In this project, the scientists planned to preserve and revive structural integrity and functionality of neural cells.
This exercise or procedure allowed the revival of several brain tissues and human specimens. Global Times reports that the advancement holds immense promise not only for research into neurological disorders but also opens up possibilities for the future of human cryopreservation technology.
How did China conduct the revival of brain cells
According to technoscience.net, it is published that Cryogenization technologies are already effective in preserving stem cells, gametes, and embryos. For example, frozen bovine sperm can be successfully utilised for in vitro fertilization.
However, the cryogenization of brain organoids, due to their complexity, has remained an unachieved challenge until now.
To achieve and overcome this feat and challenges, Zhicheng Shao’s team in China developed a new technique using a chemical cocktail that includes methylcellulose, ethylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and Y-27632.
In this process, the organoids are pre-soaked in this solution before being frozen in liquid nitrogen. This method enabled the preservation of functional brain tissues upon thawing, even after 18 months.
“The researchers tested various chemical combinations to find the one that maintained the morphological integrity of the organoids and reduced neural cell loss,” reports the portal.
“Organoids cultivated from human embryonic stem cells were quickly cryogenized and then gradually thawed to avoid damage. The MEDY cocktail proved effective, allowing the organoids to regain their functions and continue growing for 150 days.”
Furthermore, it is posted that the study or exercise also looked at the effectiveness of MEDY on different types of organoids and organoids derived from epileptic patients.
Following cryogenization, the organoids managed to retain their pathological characteristics and synaptic functions and these results mean this technique could be applied to larger brain samples, thus providing new opportunities for biomedical research.
Academics react to China’s revival of brain cells
In his remarks, Professor Joao Pedro Magalhaes from the University of Birmingham K in the United Kingdom is impressed, he expressed astonishment towards this development.
Magalhaes hailed the project and the ability of the technology to ward off cell death and help preserve neural functionality as nothing short of miraculous.
He also believes that “in the future, terminally ill patients could be cryopreserved, awaiting cures that may emerge, while astronauts could be frozen for interstellar travel, awakening in distant galaxies.”
It also seems that there is a growing interest in the feasibility of future human cryopreservation as some people are willing to participate in human trials. With this news circulating, social media users are impressed while some are seriously shocked.
“Now we just need a probe that travels at 1-percent speed of light, and can operate for thousands, millions of years on its power while avoiding space debris, to reach the fleet of ships that’s most of the way here already, as Three-Body Problem has illustrated,” said one social media user.
While there is interest in the study, questions are raised. Will all the information and memory be indestructibly preserved too? Or, do we really have souls?
Until another research or exercise of this nature is undertaken, then all these questions will be answered..