Cryoprotectants dimethyl sulfoxide

Cryoprotectants which have so far been found to be effective for fish muscle proteins include such compounds as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides of relatively small molecular size, di- and polyalcohols, hydroxymonocarboxylic acids, di- and tricarboxylic acids, acidic, basic and some other amino acids, and phosphates and their derivatives (15,16,66,67,72-74, 82,83,93,97-99,112-114,122,140-154). Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSOT, which is cryoprotective for various biological materials such as red cells, was not effective for fish muscle proteins (147). 

Dimethyl sulfoxide has also been investigated as a potential therapeutic agent in conditions such as scleroderma, interstitial cystitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and acute musculoskeletal injuries, and as an analgesic. It has also been recommended for the treatment of anthracycline extravasation and has been investigated as a potential cryoprotectant. ... 

Cryoprotectants are added to the culture medium in order to protect cells. Glycerine, the first cryoprotectant to be used, was discovered in the 1940s, and it was used for the cryopreservation of bovine sperm. More recently, it has been discovered that other substances such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), saccharides," and proteins also function as cryoprotectants. However, the mechanism of the cryopreservation process in each case remains unclear. In the present study, we compared DMSO and trehalose, which are cryoprotectants of different molecular sizes that may differ in their ability to pass through the cell membrane. 

Cryoprotectants. A variety of cryoprotectants are available for cryopreservation of embryos and adults. Research is ongoing to improve these products. Conventional cryoprotectants in use include dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol, glycerol, propylene glycol, propanediol (PROH), and sucrose. 

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