Cell Preservation Technology Could Impact Need for Research Animals

Abcellute's discovery can preserve living cells for a longer duration.

Published February 2007 Cell preservation can reduce the need for researchers to extract cells from animals on a daily basis.

Abcellute, a spin-off company of the University of Cardiff, has evolved a technology that protects liver cells (hepatocytes) extracted from research animals by immersing them in a solution that forms a solid matrix around them and protects them from degradation and shock. The preservation technology can protect liver cells for up to five days, and enough cells could be harvested from a single primate to supply many pharmaceutical research organizations. Additionally, the technology can actually improve the quality of the liver cells after they have been in the resting state for 24 hours. The cells are the same as if freshly isolated, with the same cell viability and metabolic activity.

Learn more about cell preservation technology.