Definition

What is Cryopreservation?

Cryopreservation has two parts to the word: "cryo", a Greek word, means cold; while preservation, in this case, is to keep the original state of something. Therefore, cryopreservation means to keep something in its original state in cold temperature.

Simply defined, cryopreservation is a process where cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as [typically] -196°C [the boiling point of liquid nitrogen]. Mixed solvents containing glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide are used to protect cells from ice crystal formation.

Cryopreservation is under the study of cryobiology, along side with cryogenics.