Engineering Commons^™

Retention Of Cellular Viability And Growth Potential In Cryopreserved Bovine Arterial Tissue: Implications For Clinical Use Of Cryopreserved Vascular Allografts, Kip G. Gardner

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Segments of bovine calf aortas and pulmonary arteries were cryopreserved at -196° C for two weeks to 18 months and subsequently thawed. Cellular morphology, viability, and growth potential in these segments were then compared with the same attributes in segments from fresh (control) arteries. Scanning electron microscopy revealed no disruption of intimal surfaces attributable to cryopreservation. Endothelial cells were successfully cultured from all cryopreserved arterial segments. Endothelial monolayers grown from cryopreserved arteries had a cobblestone appearance and expressed Factor VIII antigen but not smooth muscle alpha-actin. Plating efficiency in primary cultures of endothelial cells was lower for cryopreserved arteries than …

Structural Characterization Of Fucoidan And Its Role In The Hemizona Assay, Manish S. Patankar

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Fucoidan is a polysaccharide commonly found in brown algae. It is a sulfated polymer of the monosaccharide L-fucose. Fucoidan is thought to function in water retention by algae. Commercially available fucoidan is extracted from a brown algae called Eurus vesiculosus.

This polysaccharide has immense potential as a biologically active agent: (i) it exhibits anticoagulant action, (ii) it has also been reported to block retroviral replication and (iii) it is capable of blocking sperm-egg binding in sea urchin, mouse and rabbit. Recently, fucoidan has also been shown to block the interaction of human sperm and egg in the hemizona assay …