Cryoprotectant and gold nanoparticles injected into zebrafish embryos allowed them to be frozen and reanimated. It is the first time this has been done with zebrafish embryos, scientists say.FULL VIDEO ON YOUTUBE, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA/SMITHSONIAN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTEZebrafish embryos have for the first time been frozen, thawed, and brought back to life. The feat, described July 13 in ACS Nano, could help to store frozen fish germ cells and embryos and has implications for biomedical research and also replenishing biodiversity in the oceans.
Researchers have been working on cryopreservation of zebrafish embryos for decades. It’s never been done before. “The fact that we got any viability at all was surprising,” says study coauthor John Bischof of the University of Minnesota.
Over the past 60 years, scientists have had success preserving the sex cells and embryos of humans, cattle, mice, and many other animals. Trying to freeze and thaw fish embryos, however, has been more difficult because of their size and structure. The embryos are relatively large, bigger than a human egg. Fish embryos also have different compartments that freeze and thaw at different speeds. That can lead to the development of ice particles, which can damage the embryo.
Building on work by other scientists, Bischof and colleagues tweaked ...
