NSF ATP-Bio stores human-scale pig kidneys at -150 °C for up to a year, then rewarms them

ATP-Bio (NSF Engineering Research Center)/Organ Vitrification and Nanowarming

Researchers at NSF ATP-Bio turned pig kidneys of about 100 g, roughly human-scale, into a glass-like state, stored them at -150 °C for up to a year and rewarmed them with radiofrequency nanowarming. The organs recovered with minimal structural injury, and after transplantation they showed immediate normal blood flow and urine production. The team says long-term organ banking could improve recipient matching and reduce discards.

• Methods: the PEZ42 cryoprotectant, multithermic machine perfusion and radiofrequency nanowarming.
• Recovery was on par with organs exposed only to cryoprotectant, according to the release.
• The study used pig kidneys, not human organs; the release gives no sample size or post-transplant follow-up.
• Details are in a bioRxiv preprint that has not been peer-reviewed.
• No timeline for human trials or clinical use is given.