Scientists restore activity in frozen mouse brain tissue
Scientists in Germany have for the first time restored some functional activity in frozen mouse brain tissue, marking progress in cryopreservation research, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explored whether key brain processes could be preserved after deep freezing. Although cryogenic suspension remains largely a concept of science fiction, researchers say new findings bring science closer to restoring brain function after extreme cold storage.
Previous experiments showed that neuronal tissue can survive freezing at a cellular level, but restoring essential brain processes such as neuronal firing, metabolism and plasticity remained difficult.
A research team led by Alexander German, a neurologist at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, applied a cryopreservation technique known as vitrification. The method prevents ice crystal formation by cooling tissue so rapidly that molecules become trapped in a glass like state.
“If brain function is an emergent property of its physical structure, how can we recover it from complete shutdown?” German said, explaining the key question behind the study.
Researchers tested the method on thin slices of mouse brain containing the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and spatial navigation. The tissue was treated with cryoprotective chemicals and rapidly cooled in liquid nitrogen at −196 degrees Celsius before being stored at −150 degrees for periods ranging from ten minutes to seven days.
After thawing, microscopic analysis showed that neuronal and synaptic membranes remained intact. Electrical recordings also revealed that neurons responded to stimulation in ways close to normal conditions.
Scientists also observed synaptic strengthening known as long-term potentiation, a process linked to learning and memory.
“This kind of progress is what gradually turns science fiction into scientific possibility,” said Mrityunjay Kothari, a mechanical engineering researcher at the University of New Hampshire.
However, researchers note that practical applications such as preserving whole organs or bodies remain far beyond current capabilities.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that researchers used artificial intelligence to design entire genome sequences, marking a new step toward the creation of synthetic life, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
