title: Three-dimensional printing with polylactic acid (PLA) thermoplastic offers new opportunities for cryobiology.
abstract: Development of devices through design, prototyping, testing, and fabrication is especially necessary for enhancement of research and eventual application in cryobiology. The advent of 3-dimensional printing offers unique opportunities for this process, given that the materials involved are suitable for use in cryogenic temperatures. We report herein that 3-D printing with polylactic acid (PLA) thermoplastic is ideally suited for cryobiology device development. Devices that are designed and standardized in open-source fashion can be electronically distributed and created locally on increasingly affordable 3-D printers, and can accelerate cryobiology findings and improve reproducibility of results.
authors: Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA. Electronic address: ttiersch@agcenter.lsu.edu.
authors: Terrence R
authors: TR
authors: Tiersch
authors: Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. Electronic address: tmonroe@lsu.edu.
authors: William T
authors: WT
authors: Monroe
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature; D011091:Polyesters; D011309:Preservation, Biological / Q000295:instrumentation*; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)
keywords: Cryogenic properties; Cryopreservation; Polylactic acid; Vitrification