Let's breakdown the cryopreservation definition

Cryopreservation is the process of preserving biological material—such as cells, tissues, or entire human bodies—by cooling it to extremely low temperatures. The goal is to halt all biological and chemical activity that would otherwise lead to decay, allowing the material to remain stable and intact for long periods of time.

While often associated with futuristic ideas, cryopreservation is a well-established technique in biology and medicine. It is used every day to preserve sperm, eggs, embryos, and stem cells for clinical and research purposes. More recently, advanced forms of cryopreservation have been applied to whole-body preservation as part of cryonics, an experimental field aiming to give terminal patients a chance to benefit from future medical advances.

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How cryopreservation works

At the core of cryopreservation is the principle that reducing temperature slows molecular movement. At temperatures near -196°C (the boiling point of liquid nitrogen), molecular activity essentially stops. This halts enzymatic reactions and decomposition processes that would normally destroy biological structures after death.

But freezing biological material isn’t as simple as lowering the temperature. If water inside or between cells freezes, it can form sharp ice crystals that tear membranes and damage tissues. To prevent this, cryoprotectants—special chemical agents—are introduced to replace water in the cells and minimize ice formation.

There are two main methods of preservation:

1. Slow Freezing

This traditional method involves gradually cooling biological samples while adding cryoprotectants. It is commonly used for cell cultures and some tissue samples. The goal is to control the formation of ice in a way that reduces damage.

2. Vitrification

Vitrification avoids ice entirely by using high concentrations of cryoprotectants and ultra-rapid cooling. Instead of freezing, the liquid inside cells becomes a glass-like solid. This method is widely used to preserve eggs, sperm, and embryos due to its higher success rates.

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Whole-body cryopreservation

Applying cryopreservation to entire human bodies—what we call cryonics—requires additional complexity. After legal death is declared, a trained team begins emergency procedures to maintain circulation and cooling. This includes perfusing the body with cryoprotectants to replace blood and minimize ice formation.

The body is then cooled in a controlled way to -196°C and stored in a specially designed container filled with liquid nitrogen vapor. Detailed monitoring of flow rates, pressure, and temperature ensures that the preservation process is as consistent and safe as possible.

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The challenge of rewarming

Cooling is only half the battle. Safe rewarming is equally important. If tissues are heated unevenly, ice crystals can form during thawing—a process called recrystallization—which can be just as damaging as freezing.

New methods like nanowarming are being developed to solve this problem. This involves embedding magnetic nanoparticles into the tissue, which can be heated evenly using alternating magnetic fields. Combined with advances in cryoprotectant solutions and ice-blocking technologies, these innovations are helping make large-scale cryopreservation more feasible.

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Today’s uses — and Future Potential

Cryopreservation plays a key role in:

• Fertility treatments: Eggs, sperm, and embryos can be stored for years with high viability.
• Stem cell therapies: Lifesaving cells are preserved for future transplants.
• Organ banking research: Scientists aim to make donor organs available on demand.
• Cryonics: For individuals with terminal diagnoses, whole-body preservation offers a possibility—however uncertain—of future revival.

Cryonics is still an experimental field. No human has yet been revived from a cryopreserved state. But the science behind preservation continues to advance, and many believe that future technologies—such as regenerative medicine, nanotechnology, or advanced AI—may one day make revival possible.

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About Tomorrow.bio

At Tomorrow.bio, we are dedicated to advancing the science of cryopreservation with the goal of giving people a second chance at life. As Europe’s leading human cryopreservation provider, we focus on rapid, high-quality standby, stabilization, and storage of terminal patients — preserving them until future medical technologies may allow revival and treatment.

Our mission is to make human cryopreservation a reliable and accessible option for everyone. We believe that no life should end because the current capabilities fall short.

Our vision is a future where death is optional — where people have the freedom to choose long-term preservation in the face of terminal illness or fatal injury, and to awaken when medicine has caught up.

📧 Contact us at: hello@tomorrow.bio

🌐 Visit our website: www.tomorrow.bio

🤝 Schedule a call with our team

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