Background/aim: Cryopreservation of cell lines has been widely used in the laboratory; however, cryopreservation of organs is still considered to be difficult. The submandibular gland (SMG) of fetal mice is one of the best-characterized organs. We investigated the conditions for cryopreserving SMG rudiments.
Materials and methods: Embryonic day 13 SMG rudiments were cryopreserved with or without a cryoprotectant. They were thawed and incubated in DMEM/F12 medium. Moreover, the influence of EGF stimulation on the signaling cascade after frozen-thawing the rudiments was analyzed by Western blotting.
Results: When SMG rudiments were cryopreserved without a cryoprotectant, all cells in the rudiments died. However, the SMG rudiments that had been preserved in a cryoprotectant showed branching morphogenesis. Additionally, the responsiveness of signaling cascades to EGF did not differ between frozen with a cryoprotectant and non-frozen rudiments.
Conclusion: Cryopreservation might be a useful technology for preserving tissues from small organs, such as fetal SMG rudiments.
Keywords: AKT; Cryopreservation; EGF; ERK1/2; branching morphogenesis; submandibular gland.
Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.