Cryopreservation

Cryopreservation is a process where biological material (cells, tissues, organs, or whole organisms) are frozen to preserve the material for an extended period of time. At low temperatures, typically −78.5 °C (−109.2 °F) using dry ice or −196 °C (−320 °F) using liquid nitrogen, any cell metabolism which might cause damage to the biological material in question is effectively stopped. Cryopreservation is an effective way to transport biological samples over long distances, store samples for prolonged periods of time, and create a bank of samples for users. Molecules, referred to as cryoprotectants, are added to reduce the osmotic shock and physical stresses that cells undergo in the freezing process.

Cryonics is the practice of cryopreserving people or animals with the hope that future technology may be able to revive them back to life. In cryonics, vitrification is currently the preferred method to conduct cryopreservations.