title: Does the cryogenic freezing process cause shorter telomeres?
abstract: We have observed evidence of increased telomere shortening in short-term T-lymphocyte cultures following freezing and thawing of the original inoculum obtained by ficoll-paque gradient centrifugation, compared to T-lymphocytes that were cultured immediately without freezing and thawing from the same blood sample from 3 female and 3 male adults. Because freezing may have similar effects on other cell types, and because telomere shortening may only manifest its effects after many years or decades, we suggest there is a pressing need for evaluation of the effects of freezing on any cells envisioned for clinical applications, including embryo implantation.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Human Genetics, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities-IBR, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA. Ed.Jenkins@opwdd.ny.gov
authors.forename: Edmund C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Wayne P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Silverman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D059506:Telomere Shortening