ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

1991, Volume 2

Cryopreserved Isolated Tissues in Pharmacological Research

E. Mueller-Schweinitzer

Präklinische Forschung, Sandoz Pharma AG, CH-Basel

SUMMARY

Studies on the mechanism of action of drugs are usually performed on freshly obtained tissues from various animal species. Despite its relevance to human pharmacology the use of human isolated tissues in pharmacological experiments is still very much the exception rather than the rule. The major reason for this is the irregular and unpredictable availability of human tissues. This article considers the usefulness of cryopreservation to store vascular and nonvascular mammalian tissues for subsequent pharmacological studies. Despite certain problems, such as diminished contractile force, the technique does offer clear potential for ensuring the supply of both vascular and nonvascular tissues from animal and man for pharmacological studies.

Keywords: human tissues, cryopreservation, pharmacological studies