Unlike ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers and traditional lab freezers, cryogenic freezers can maintain temperatures within the cryogenic temperature range, ranging between -150°C to absolute zero. This freezing method is referred to as cryopreservation. It applies to various fields that include cryosurgery, food sciences, ecology, plant physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cryopreservation of cells, cell cultures and organs.

Many medical applications require samples to be frozen at cryogenic temperatures, such as blood transfusions, bone marrow transplantation, artificial insemination, and in vitro fertilization.

Healthcare providers have greatly benefitted from the use of cryogenic freezers.High-performance units utilize freezing and uniform temperatures for long-term storage, offering conditions ideal for preserving valuable biological material indefinitely. These metrics preserve, rather than fatally freeze, by preventing ice crystal formation, osmotic shock, and membrane damage. This allows the sample to return to the same viable state it was in before being frozen.

However, in the case of more sensitive mammalian cells, it is sometimes necessary to use specialized media or freezing reagents that can be applied to reduce freezing damage. These reagents include various cryoprotectants, such as glycerol or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).Improvements in cryogenics have resulted in better survival and high-quality functionality of human tissue and cell samples, permitting their successful use in future clinical applications.

Purchasing a cryogenic freezer can be difficult, as these units are often quite expensive. However, many laboratories—small startups, growing middle market, and large enterprise companies—have started relying on leasing as a viable alternative to purchasing. This is due to Excedr’s ability to absorb the upfront costs for you and spread them out over low, manageable, recurring payments. Read on to learn more about these freezers and the benefits of cryopreservation.