Medical researchers are making significant strides in organ preservation, moving beyond traditional ice storage to extend the viability of donor organs. Current methods often limit the window for transplantation to just a few hours, contributing to a global shortage of available organs. By developing techniques to keep organs functional for days or even weeks, scientists hope to create organ banks that would allow for better matching and more efficient transport.

A major focus of recent research involves supercooling. A team led by Matthew Powell Palm of Texas A&M recently achieved a milestone by successfully supercooling pig kidneys to -4 °C and later reimplanting them. These organs performed better than those stored using standard ice-based methods. Unlike cryopreservation, which attempts to store cells at ultra-low temperatures—a process that has proven successful for eggs and embryos but remains elusive for complex human organs—this supercooling approach does not rely on cryoprotectants.

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Other efforts are focused on machine perfusion, which uses devices to circulate nutrients through an organ, effectively mimicking the body's internal environment. While these systems are currently used to maintain livers and kidneys for up to 24 hours, the technology is expanding. Researchers in Valencia have utilized a perfusion system, nicknamed “Mother,” to sustain a human uterus for one day, and similar protocols are being adapted for other organs, including eyes.

While cryonics—the practice of preserving brains or bodies at extremely low temperatures—has been attempted, experts remain cautious about the viability of such methods. Cryobiologist Greg Fahy noted that while brain cells can show physical recovery after being rewarmed, it does not guarantee that the tissue remains functional. As researcher Matthew Powell Palm noted, there are many ways neurons could be damaged during such processes, highlighting the complexity of the challenge.

Source: MIT Technology Review