Scientists Achieve Functional "Revival" of Mouse Brain Tissue After Rewarming from -196°C Freezing First Successful Revival of Frozen Brain! Mouse brain tissue regains memory function after being frozen at -196°C and rewarmed
Release time:
2026-03-16
In science fiction, human cryopreservation and resuscitation are often regarded as a "time capsule" to the future. Now, this concept has achieved a milestone breakthrough in the laboratory—scientists have for the first time successfully cryopreserved adult mouse brain slices in liquid nitrogen at -196°C and restored multiple key neural functions, including learning and memory mechanisms, after rewarming. This achievement blazes a brand-new trail for basic neuroscience research and organ preservation technology.
Breakthrough: "Glass-like" Preservation
For a long time, the core challenge in the low-temperature preservation of biological tissues lies in ice crystal formation. Traditional freezing is like putting tofu in a freezer; the formation of ice crystals pierces cellular structures, leaving the tissue "riddled with holes" and leading to permanent loss of function. Although successful cryopreservation has been achieved for rat kidneys, livers and hearts in previous studies, repeated setbacks have been encountered in the preservation of brain tissue.
In a latest study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a research team from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany adopted an innovative "vitrification" protocol. This method displaces tissue water with a high-concentration cryoprotectant and rapidly cools the tissue to "lock" liquid molecules in a disordered glassy state before ice crystals form.
"It's like turning tofu into a transparent, solid piece of 'glass tofu', whose internal structure is perfectly sealed and all molecular motion temporarily ceases," the research team explained. The team prepared 350-micrometer-thick mouse brain slices containing the hippocampus, immersed them in a cryoprotectant mixed with dimethyl sulfoxide, ethylene glycol and other components, then plunged them into liquid nitrogen to cool to -196°C, and stored them in an ultra-low temperature refrigerator at -150°C for periods ranging from 10 minutes to 7 days.
Verification: Miraculous Reconstruction of Neural Functions
The most exciting part of the experiment was the detection after rewarming. When the researchers thawed the brain slices in a warm solution, a series of sophisticated analyses revealed astonishing results:
Intact Structure
Electron microscopy showed that the ultrastructure of the hippocampal CA1 region was well-preserved; neuronal membranes and synaptic connections remained undamaged, and mitochondrial metabolic function was normal.
Active Function
Electrophysiological recordings confirmed that neurons could respond to electrical stimulation. Although their excitability was slightly lower than that of fresh tissue, it was close to the normal level.
Retained Memory Mechanism
Most crucially, the hippocampal neural pathways successfully produced the Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) effect. As the cellular basis for brain learning and memory formation, this indicates that the tissue has the potential to recover cognitive functions.
In addition, the research team conducted a preliminary exploration of in-situ vitrification preservation of intact mouse brains. By perfusing cryoprotectant through the aorta and combining an "alternating equilibration" strategy, some brains maintained structural integrity and basic metabolic functions after rewarming and cryoprotectant removal, providing a proof of concept for the preservation of complex organs in the future.
Significance and Prospect: Science Fiction Draws Closer to Reality
Although the experimental subject is only brain slices at present, the research is still in the early stage, and the observation window is limited to 10 to 15 hours after rewarming, the technology has demonstrated great significance in multiple dimensions.
For basic neuroscience, this technology addresses the long-standing pain point of relying on fresh brain tissue. It allows scientists to preserve the same batch of brain tissue samples and conduct repeated, controlled experiments at different time points, greatly improving the reliability and comparability of data, and also helping to reduce the number of experimental animals used.
In the long run, this research provides new therapeutic ideas for humanity to tackle neurodegenerative diseases and severe brain injuries in the future—perhaps it will be possible to "pause" the activity of a diseased brain for subsequent treatment; it also accumulates valuable data for drug research and development and low-temperature preservation technology for complex organs.
Although there are still key technological gaps before realizing the whole-body cryopreservation and resuscitation of animals and even humans as depicted in science fiction movies, the successful "revival" of mouse brain tissue this time offers a new glimmer of hope, undoubtedly taking a crucial step toward the once imaginary "pause button for life".
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The significance of life extension lies not only in technological breakthroughs but also in the shared belief of every individual who believes in "a better future." With faith as their torch, these fellow travelers join hands, pooling their strength to stride forward together. We firmly believe that as this steadfast support converges into a powerful force, it will propel the Yinfeng Life Extension Plan to gain broader attention, inject continuous momentum into the development of cryobiomedicine, and illuminate the next chapter of human civilization.
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