SYSTEMS FOR INCREASED COOLING AND THAWING RATES OF PROTEIN SOLUTIONS AND CELLS FOR OPTIMIZED CRYOPRESERVATION AND RECOVERY

摘要

In systems and methods for freezing and subsequently thawing liquid samples containing biologicai components, a sample is fractioped into a very large number of small drops (10) having surface area to volume ratios of 1000 m<SUP>-1</SUP> or greater. The drops are projected at a liquid cryogen (40) or at the solid surface of a highly thermally conducting metal cup or plate, where they rapidiy freeze. The cold gas layer that develops above any cold surface is replaced with warm, dry gas stream (75). The environmental temperature experienced by the sample then abruptly changes from the warm ambient to the temperature of the cryogenic liquid or solid surface. To thaw drops with the highest warming rates, the frozen drops may be projected into warm liquids or solids. The sample is projected with cold gas to the warm liquid or soitd surface, so that again there is an abrupt transition in the environmental temperature.