Biochemical Correlates of Physiological States and Cryobiochemical Analyses of Tissue

Abstract

Theoretical considerations and experimental results are presented concerning the nature of biochemical analysis of tissue components at low temperatures (cryobiochemical analyses), at present, between about -80°C and -20°C. In general we may expect refinement of data, resolution between closely similar properties, and the appearance of intermediate species and reactions blurred over at higher temperatures. These features arise from "slow motion" and slow processes of molecules and from the transition of molecular populations from higher to lower energy states. Analyses were carried out with brain tissue (rat) quenched (cooled ultra-rapidly) and powdered in liquid nitrogen (-196°C). The quenched tissue was warmed up to the temperature of biochemical analysis which would still be low enough so that only negligible spontaneous reactions could occur in the tissue. This was frequently at -78°C, the temperature of extraction and of technical and biochemical operations. The results are consistent with the view that, in general, the lower the temperature of the analysis the closer are the findings to the native (in vivo) biochemical correlates of the physiological states.

Keywords

Biochemical correlates physiological states cryobiochemical analyses quenched brain tissue refinement of data information loss spontaneous biochemical reactions native states lipid dependence

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