Preservation of Rabbit, Sheep, and Ox Red Cells At -79°C

Abstract

Observations made on the freezing of red cells at -79[degree]C show that equilibration of the cells with a glycerol diluent reduces the amount of hemolysis in rabbit blood but increases it in sheep and ox blood. When ethylene glycol is substituted for glycerol, no effect of equilibration is detectable in rabbit blood, but hemolysis is increased in sheep and ox blood. The addition of arabinose to the glycerol or ethylene glycol diluents reduces hemolysis after freezing with sheep and ox blood, but on rabbit blood it has no effect with glycerol and increases the hemolysis when used with ethylene glycol. Possible modes of action of these substances are discussed.