Controlled reversible poration for preservation of biological materials
First Claim
1. A method for dry storing living nucleated mammalian cells having cell membranes, comprising:
- a. Applying a membrane toxin to reversibly porate the cell membranes of the nucleated cells;
b. Loading an agent having bio-preservation properties to a predetermined intracellular concentration sufficient for preserving the cellular material, the predetermined intracellular concentration being less than or equal to about 1.0 M, the bio-preservation agent comprising a sugar;
c. Drying the sugar loaded cells to a level sufficient to permit dry storage;
d. Placing the dried cells in dry storage;
e. Rehydrating the dried cells to a level sufficient for cell viability; and
f. Reversing the cell membrane poration to an extent sufficient to permit survival and growth of the cells;
wherein sugar is the only bio-protective agent employed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A preservation method for biological material having cell membranes includes reversibly porating the cell membranes; loading a bio-protective agent having bio-preservation properties to a predetermined intracellular concentration; preparing the bio-protective agent loaded biological material for storage; storing the biological material; recovering the stored biological material from storage; and reversing the cell membrane poration. H5 α-toxin, a genetically engineered mutant of Staphylococcus aureus α-hemolysin, may be used as a porating agent. Non-permeating sugars such as trehalose and sucrose may be used as the bio-protective agent.
92 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for dry storing living nucleated mammalian cells having cell membranes, comprising:
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a. Applying a membrane toxin to reversibly porate the cell membranes of the nucleated cells; b. Loading an agent having bio-preservation properties to a predetermined intracellular concentration sufficient for preserving the cellular material, the predetermined intracellular concentration being less than or equal to about 1.0 M, the bio-preservation agent comprising a sugar; c. Drying the sugar loaded cells to a level sufficient to permit dry storage; d. Placing the dried cells in dry storage; e. Rehydrating the dried cells to a level sufficient for cell viability; and f. Reversing the cell membrane poration to an extent sufficient to permit survival and growth of the cells; wherein sugar is the only bio-protective agent employed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for cryopreserved living nucleated mammalian cells having cell membranes, consisting essentially of:
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a. Applying a membrane toxin to reversibly porate the cell membranes of the nucleated cells using H5 α
-toxin;b. Loading the porated cells with a bio-preservation agent consisting essentially of a sugar to a predetermined intracellular concentration sufficient for preserving the nucleated cells, the predetermined intracellular concentration being less than or equal to about 1.0 M; c. Freezing the sugar loaded cells to a cryopreservation temperature; d. Storing the frozen biological material at a cryo-storage temperature; e. Thawing the cryo-stored biological material to a viable state; and f. Reversing the cell membrane poration to an extent sufficient to permit survival and growth of the cells. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification