Numerically predicted thermal distortions due to nucleation of cells embedded in an extracellular suspension

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

12-1-2005

Abstract

Knowledge of intercellular ice formation in cells embedded in an extracellular suspension is essential for effective design of freeze protocols [1]. The presence of cell membrane causes supercooling of the intracellular region, which nucleates at much lower temperatures than the surrounding extracellular space, and is accompanied by the formation of the latent heat plateau [2]. This is a dynamic process and causes thermal distortions in and around the nucleating cell. In the present study an attempt has been made to numerically determine the magnitude of thermal distortion (ΔT) and the time it takes for this distortion to dampen out to the local temperature (dt). A two-dimensional computational model is presented wherein the lowest possible thermal distortions (with an assumed cell diameter of 5 urn, nucleating at -20°C while being cooled at 1000°C/min - denoted as Case 1) and the maximum thermal distortions (a 50 μm cell nucleating at -5°C while being cooled at 5°C/min - denoted as Case 2) are determined. Extensive computations have been performed assuming either the presence of a single, dual or four cells in suspension. In the interest of brevity, we only present the full numerical results for the case of four cells (each cell being 50 μm in diameter) nucleating at -5°C in a suspension, being cooled at 5°C/min (i.e., Case 2).

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Proceedings of the 2005 Summer Bioengineering Conference

First Page

43

Last Page

44

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