A short-term storage of stem/progenitor cells in regenerative medicine without cryopreservation and cryoprotector. The protective composition of the invention improves the quality and increases the efficiency of cell therapy by keeping stem/progenitor cells free of ultra-low temperatures (liquid nitrogen) and cryoprotectants during the period of their biosafety testing and transportation to a patient’s bed.

An aqueous storage solution for the storage of red blood cells, comprising an aqueous solution and at least one lipid, wherein the at least one lipid is effective in suppressing hemolysis in red blood cells and wherein the at least one lipid is emulsified within the aqueous solution.

An apparatus, that relates to the field of in vitro fertilization, is provided for the combined incubation and vitrification of a biological material. The apparatus can be configured to allow for automatic incubation and vitrification of a viable biological material. Thereby predetermined protocols for handling the biological material can be performed precisely and accurately thus avoiding errors and deviations from the intended protocol, as caused by manual human intervention.

The present invention relates to a method and a system (400) for filling a closed container (200) with a fixative solution. The system comprises a container (200) comprising a container body (230) for receiving a biological specimen, a lid (220) for selectively closing the container body (230) and a port (100) forming a unidirectional barrier in a direction from the inside (IC) to the outside (OC) of the closed container (200). The system further comprises a dispensing apparatus (500) having a filling nozzle (300) for dispensing the fixative solution. The filling nozzle (300) is relatively moveable with respect to the container (200) between a retracted position and a filling position to fill the container (200) with the fixative solution.

The present invention relates to a method and a system (400) for filling a closed container (200) with a fixative solution. The system comprises a container (200) comprising a container body (230) for receiving a biological specimen, a lid (220) for selectively closing the container body (230) and a port (100) forming a unidirectional barrier in a direction from the inside (IC) to the outside (OC) of the closed container (200). The system further comprises a dispensing apparatus (500) having a filling nozzle (300) for dispensing the fixative solution. The filling nozzle (300) is relatively moveable with respect to the container (200) between a retracted position and a filling position to fill the container (200) with the fixative solution.

A process for making and using a tissue preservation gel. The gel is comprised of water, reticulated acrylic acid, water soluble short-chain paraben, isopropyl alcohol and either triethanolamine or propylene glycol. To use the gel, a tissue to be preserved is first bathed in hypertonic sodium chloride, then soaked in a wash in multiple increasing concentrations of isopropyl alcohol and then preserved indefinitely in the tissue preservation gel.

The present application relates to a cell cryopreservation protective composition, the use of the composition, and a cell cryopreservation method. The cell cryopreservation protective composition comprises a zwitterionic molecule having the general formula R.sub.1—N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—R.sub.2, wherein R.sub.1 is a linear or branched alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and is optionally substituted with a substituent; R.sub.2 is any negatively charged group selected from the group consisting of —COO.sup.−, —SO.sub.4.sup.−, —SO.sub.3.sup.−, and (I); and R.sub.3 is a group selected from the group consisting of (methyl)acryloyloxyalkyl, alkyl and alkenyl; and the zwitterionic molecule having general formula R.sub.1—N.sup.+(CH.sub.3).sub.2—(CH.sub.2).sub.n—R.sub.2 is preferably a betaine compound. The cell cryopreservation protective composition can carry out cell cryopreservation in a non-toxic and efficient manner, and results in an extremely high post-thaw cell survival rate and does not require stepwise cryopreservation. After cell recovery, the cells can be used directly or after being slightly diluted. ##STR00001##

A device that can be used to store blood product and/or cellular culture that may or may not be under pressure. The device includes a chamber that can be hermetically sealed and a flexible secondary bag which can be placed in the chamber. The chamber is designed to receive at least one secondary bag that contains a conventional storage bag containing blood product and/or cellular culture. The storage conditions are created in the chamber and may or may not include 1) creating a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure, 2) creating a refrigerated temperature, and/or 3) providing agitation to the secondary bag. The secondary bag is filled with a gas system that is used to facilitate in the storage of the blood product and/or cellular culture. The secondary bag can be made of a material and/or include a coating or film that is impermeable to the gas system and to the gas inside the chamber. The higher-than-atmospheric pressure inside the chamber can be created by pumping an inexpensive gas, for example, air, into the chamber. The gas used to pressurize the chamber can be different from the gas system in the secondary bag.

A perfusion device includes first inlet piping that connects a reservoir and a portal vein, second inlet piping that connects the reservoir and a hepatic artery, a first pump that produces a flow in the first inlet piping, and a second pump that produces a flow in the second inlet piping. The first and second pumps are of the same type, each having a rotating portion for solution sending. The rotating portion of the first pump has a greater diameter than the rotating portion of the second pump. Thus, even if the first and second pumps make the same number of rotations, the ratio of the flow rate of the perfusate between the first inlet piping and the second inlet piping can be made almost constant. Accordingly, the perfusate is supplied under appropriate conditions to the portal vein and the hepatic artery with a simple configuration.

Cellular material containing living cells is preserved by combining the cellular material with a cryoprotectant formulation/medium/solution containing an effective amount of trehalose (in the absence of DMSO and/or any other added cryoprotectants) during a cryopreservation protocol. That is, the cryopreservation protocol is free of cryoprotectant other than trehalose, and the cryopreservation protocol includes: exposing the cellular material to a cryoprotectant formulation containing an effective amount of the trehalose to act as a cryoprotectant, cooling the cellular material at a cooling rate in the range of from −3° C./minute to −50° C./minute to a predetermined temperature below −20° C., and obtaining a cryopreserved cellular material that has been warmed.