In a breakthrough that sounds straight out of science fiction, scientists have managed to revive frozen brain tissue by rapidly cooling it to prevent ice damage, then successfully bringing it back to life
A jaw-dropping experiment that sounds straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster became a reality. Boffins have stunned the world by bringing frozen brain tissue back to life.
For years, the idea of waking up a frozen brain was pure fantasy. However, now, scientists say they’ve managed it in the lab.
Scientists at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany have pulled off a medical miracle by bringing frozen brain tissue back to life. They consequently overcame the issue of ice, as it turns into sharp crystals that rip apart the delicate brain cells.
That’s why, until now, frozen brains have always ended up as useless mush when thawed.
As a result, the German team reportedly tried a clever trick called vitrification. Instead of letting ice form, they cooled the brain tissue so fast that everything inside turned into a glass-like solid.
As a result, no ice formed and therefore no damage occurred, the Daily Mail reported. The scientists tested the method on thin slices of mouse brains, dunking them in liquid nitrogen at a bone-chilling -196°C.
The brain slices reportedly stayed frozen for up to a week. The scientists subsequently warmed the slices at a rapid pace, then checked if there was any life left.
Under the microscope, the brain cells reportedly looked normal. Even the mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside our cells, were still working.
The experts reportedly went a step further and zapped the brain slices with electricity. Amazingly, the cells responded almost like they were never frozen.
Even more impressive, the team saw signs of “long-term potentiation”, which is the process behind learning and memory. The researchers didn’t stop at slices.
They further tried freezing a whole mouse brain. This presented some challenges as the brain’s natural defences make it hard for the protective chemicals to get inside.
Nevertheless, by carefully pumping the chemicals in and out, the scientists managed to freeze and thaw the whole organ. After thawing, they ran more tests which showed that connections were still there, and the cells could still fire off signals.
“This kind of progress is what gradually turns science fiction into scientific possibility,” said Mrityunjay Kothari, an expert in freezing biology. However, Kothari also warned that freezing and reviving whole organs or animals is still “far beyond the capabilities of the study”.
Still, this could be huge news for medicine. In the future, doctors might be able to freeze brains after injuries to buy time for treatment, or store donor organs for longer.
For now, it’s just thin slices of mouse brain, but it’s a giant leap towards making the impossible, possible.
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