Freezing of reagent red cells

[alt5575]

Hi,

Does anyone have a way to freeze reagent red cells that does not involve Glycerolyte 57, liquid nitrogen or glycegel.  we currently use Glycerolyte57 but can only order it by the case and usually only use one bottle a year.

 

Thanks,

[exlimey]

15 hours ago, alt5575 said:

Hi,

Does anyone have a way to freeze reagent red cells that does not involve Glycerolyte 57, liquid nitrogen or glycegel.  we currently use Glycerolyte57 but can only order it by the case and usually only use one bottle a year.

 

Thanks,

What type of freezer are you planning to use ?

[Bet'naSBB]

this is what's in our freezing "solution" -  but we freeze them in liquid nitrogen (they look like "Dip-n-Dots" ice cream 

Dissolve 15.4 g sucrose, 5.4g dextrose (D-glucose) and 0.29g of sodium chloride in 100ml of distilled water. Mix well in a 250 ml flask.

[alt5575]

Thanks, but we are trying to avoid using liquid nitrogen.  We are a small blood bank and do not have the space for this type of system and also not enough rare cells to accommodate the cost.  

[exlimey]

I think you can just use basic 40% glycerol (in water). Glycerol is available from many sources. Use an equal volume of 40% glycerol to washed, packed red cells. Freeze @ -80 C is small aliquots. I don't remember the details of recovery, but it involves washing with a couple of different Saline concentrations, akin to deglycerolizing red cells for transfusion. The "Valeri Method" - see the article below.

 

Vox Sang 2000;79(3):168-74.  An experiment with glycerol-frozen red blood cells stored at -80 degrees C for up to 37 years. C R Valeri 1, G Ragno, L E Pivacek, G P Cassidy, R Srey, M Hansson-Wicher, M E Leavy