The organ shortage could be eased by a new method of warming frozen tissue
One day, this technology could be used to revive patients suspended in cryonics.
The shortage of organs could be solved by a new method to heat frozen tissue with tiny vibrating particles.
We can cool organs down to cryogenic temperatures (usually below 320 degrees Fahrenheit). The organs cannot be stored long – sometimes just four hours for the heart and lungs – because they are damaged if you try to heat them up. More than 60% of donated hearts and lungs don’t get transplanted. Scientists used nanoparticles in a new study published today by Science Translational Medicine to quickly warm up frozen tissues without damaging organs. The authors claim that within a decade this technology could allow for the storage of entire organs at organ banks.
In today’s research, the team heated 50 milliliters each of tissue and solution using magnetic nanoparticles. Zhe Gao is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota who co-authored the study. Magnetic particles generate heat in electromagnetic fields. The scientists infused a tissue with nanoparticles made from silica-coated ferr oxide. They then expose the tissue to a magnetic force. Imagine the nanoparticles like antennae. As soon as they pick up \”signal\”, they begin to vibrate and create heat.
Source:
https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/1/14767008/cryopreservation-freezing-rewarming-nanoparticles-organ-health-bodies
