Cell Preservation Technology

The demand for optimal cell preservation techniques is at an all-time high. Advances in interconnected fields, which rely on effective preservation of biologics, have pushed the need for technologies that are tailored to their specific requirements. While biopreservation techniques have proved to be successful since their initial inception, they are increasingly reaching their limitations, as advances in these related fields outpace advances in preservation technology. Recent advances in cell preservation technology have been through alterations in preservation solution formulation and the addition of agents such as antioxidants and protease inhibitors in an effort to control molecular-based cell death associated with preservation failure. To this end, more in-depth studies concerning the molecular mechanisms behind preservation-induced cell death have begun in an effort to stem the negative repercussions of cold stress associated with the techniques. The targeted control of these molecular events is important for many of the complex and sensitive cell systems utilized by other fields, which yield poor results following the preservation process. This article thus serves to outline the current state of cell preservation technology through a review of past literature and an examination of current reports that continue to elucidate the mechanisms of preservation failure.