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  6. Vitrification of a Human Liver: Modeling the Effect of Organ Size

Vitrification of a Human Liver: Modeling the Effect of Organ Size

File(s)
Group3_finalreport-2.pdf (1.62 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/117730
Collections
BEE 4530 – 2025 Student Papers
Author
Li, Lisa
Musa, Sadeen
Rappaport, Danielle
Thais, Peter
Abstract

Vitrification is a promising alternative to previous methods for effective cryopreservation of organs. Successful implementation of vitrification techniques could allow for advancements in organ matching and organ banking, and reduce waste and loss during the transplant and storage process. Currently, vitrification techniques show promise, but have yet to be implemented successfully in human organs. One of the most significant obstacles in the vitrification process is the formation of ice crystals, which can damage the organ tissue. Overall, the process has been successfully accomplished in small animal organs, and shows promise for human organs, although their larger size poses challenges. We modeled the cooling process for vitrification in a realistic, three-dimensional model of the human liver. The process was based on real-world vitrification experiments; properties of the cryoprotective agents (CPAs) and the rate of cooling used resembled those used in real-world experiments, and were varied to identify more optimal combinations of properties. This model allowed us to identify key challenges in cooling human livers and assess conditions that may enable successful vitrification. In this study, we modeled the cooling process for vitrification using a realistic 3D human liver geometry. The model incorporated experimentally validated cooling protocols and cryoprotectant properties from the literature. Our results showed good agreement with published cryobag data in both temperature and cooling trends. Sensitivity analyses revealed that liver size significantly affected cooling performance, while moderate variations in surface heat transfer had minimal impact.

Date Issued
2025-05
Keywords
Vitrification
•
Human Liver
•
Cooling
•
Heat Transfer
•
Ice Formation
Type
technical report

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