Controlling Cryogenic Freezing With Liquid Nitrogen

By Michael Wieland, Senior Director Application Services, Single Use Support

Cryogenic freezing is a necessary process for the preservation of molecules, cells, genetic material, blood, and tissues. Single-use technologies enable protection of such substances from contamination and failure and preserve them for long-term storage as well as safe shipments. But, controlling cryogenic freezing can be quite a challenge, especially with liquid nitrogen (LN2).

It is common practice to freeze liquid medicine in order to keep them safe and stable. However, cryogenic freezing is not as simple as it may sound. The process of freezing cell lines is highly complex, because there are many obstacles that can occur. Due to the fact that vital cells are mainly made of water (60-95 %) and dissolved molecules, biotechnology companies face the risk of uncontrolled ice formation in cells, which leads to harmful degradation. Additionally, oversized extracellular ice crystals can emerge, which would cause osmotic stress as well as mechanical injuries of the cells.

Learn more about the challenges of freezing LN2 specifically, the costs, concerns, and innovative solutions being used to address these problems.