HetaFreeze is one of a family of BioTime's freeze-protective solutions which may ultimately allow the extension of time during which organs and tissues can be stored for future transplant or surgical grafting. BioTime's proprietary freeze-protective compounds have already been used to preserve skin when used as a whole animal perfusate. Silver dollar size full thickness shaved skin samples have been removed after saturation with HetaFreeze solution, frozen at liquid nitrogen temperatures and stored for periods ranging from days to weeks. The grafts were then warmed and sewn onto the backs of host animals. Many of these grafts survived.
In other laboratory experiments, BioTime scientists have shown that animals can be revived to consciousness after partial freezing with their blood replaced by HetaFreeze. While this technology has not developed to an extent that allows long term survival of the laboratory subjects, it may have applications in the freezing and long term storage of tissues such as blood vessels and skin.
