Controlling the freezing process: a robotic device for rapidly freezing biological tissues with millisecond time resolution. 2007

Boris A Tikunov, and Lawrence C Rome
Biology Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19087, USA.

A robotic cryogenic device was developed which allows freezing of thick biological tissues with millisecond time resolution. The device consists of two horizontally oriented hammers (pre-cooled with liquid N(2)) driven by two linear servo-motors. The tissue sample is bathed in Ringers contained in a chamber which drops rapidly out of the way just as the hammers approach. A third linear motor is vertically oriented, and permits the rapidly dropping chamber to smoothly decelerate. All movements were performed by the three motors and four solenoids controlled by a PC. Mechanical adjustments, that change the size of the gap between the hammers at the end position, permit the final thickness of the frozen tissue to be varied. Here we show that the freezing time increased with the square of the final thickness of the frozen bundle. However, when bundles of different original thicknesses (up to at least 1mm) were compressed to the same final thickness (e.g., 0.2mm), they exhibited nearly equal freezing times. Hence, by being able to adjust the final thickness of the frozen bundles, the device not only speeds the rate of freezing, but standardizes the freezing time for different diameter samples. This permits the use of freezing for accurate determination of the kinetics of cellular processes in biological tissue.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005615 Freezing Liquids transforming into solids by the removal of heat. Melting
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012371 Robotics The application of electronic, computerized control systems to mechanical devices designed to perform human functions. Formerly restricted to industry, but nowadays applied to artificial organs controlled by bionic (bioelectronic) devices, like automated insulin pumps and other prostheses. Companion Robots,Humanoid Robots,Remote Operations (Robotics),Social Robots,Socially Assistive Robots,Telerobotics,Soft Robotics,Assistive Robot, Socially,Companion Robot,Humanoid Robot,Operation, Remote (Robotics),Operations, Remote (Robotics),Remote Operation (Robotics),Robot, Companion,Robot, Humanoid,Robot, Social,Robot, Socially Assistive,Robotic, Soft,Social Robot,Socially Assistive Robot,Soft Robotic
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D015925 Cryopreservation Preservation of cells, tissues, organs, or embryos by freezing. In histological preparations, cryopreservation or cryofixation is used to maintain the existing form, structure, and chemical composition of all the constituent elements of the specimens. Cryofixation,Cryonic Suspension,Cryonic Suspensions,Suspension, Cryonic
D024541 Batrachoidiformes An order of bottom fishes with short, small, spinous dorsal fins. It is comprised of one family (Batrachoididae) and about 70 species. Opsanus,Porichthys,Toadfishes

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