• Question: Why do you put the cells in liquid nitrogen?

    Asked by 642radh33 to Amanda on 6 Mar 2017. This question was also asked by Charlie W.
    • Photo: Amanda Barnes

      Amanda Barnes answered on 6 Mar 2017:

      We put cells in liquid nitrogen when we want to store them. The liquid nitrogen is below – 135 oC, and below this temperature the cells can survive in the frozen storage for years and years.

      We mix the cells with a solvent called DMSO, which protects the cells as we freeze them, and stops lots of ice crystals forming.

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