Degradable Polyampholytes from Radical Ring-Opening Copolymerization Enhance Cellular Cryopreservation
Théo Pesenti, Chen Zhu, Natalia Gonzalez-Martinez, Ruben M. F. Tomás, Matthew I. Gibson, Julien Nicolas
Abstract
Macromolecular cryoprotectants based on polyampholytes are showing promise as supplemental cryoprotectants alongside conventional DMSO-based freezing. Here we exploit radical ring-opening (ter)polymerization to access ester-containing cryoprotective polyampholytes, which were shown to be degradable. Using a challenging cell monolayer cryopreservation model, the degradable polyampholytes were found to enhance post-thaw recovery when supplemented into DMSO. This demonstrates that degradable macromolecular cryoprotectants can be developed for application in biotechnology and biomedicine.
Topics & Concepts
CryoprotectantCryopreservationMacromoleculeCopolymerChemistryPolymerizationPolymer chemistryOrganic chemistryBiochemistryPolymerBiologyCell biologyEmbryoElectrohydrodynamics and Fluid DynamicsRNA Interference and Gene DeliveryMembrane Separation Technologies