Determination of Human Platelet Membrane Permeability Coefficients Using the Kedem–Katchalsky Formalism: Estimates from Two- vs Three-Parameter Fits

• Published in: Cryobiology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 200 - 208
• Main Authors: Woods, E.J., Liu, J., Gilmore, J.A., Reid, T.J., Gao, D.Y., Critser, J.K.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 01.05.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - cytology; Blood Platelets - physiology; Blood Preservation; Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis; Cell Membrane Permeability; Cell Size; Cryopreservation; Cryoprotective Agents; Dimethyl Sulfoxide; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Medical sciences; membrane permeability; Models, Biological; platelet; Platelet Transfusion; Temperature; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy; platelet; membrane permeability; cryopreservation; Human; Blood cell; Platelet; Investigation method; Cryopreservation; Plasma membrane; Cryoprotective agent; Permeability
• ISSN: 0011-2240; 1090-2392
• DOI: 10.1006/cryo.1998.2146

Attempts to cryopreserve human blood platelets have resulted in poor postthaw survival rates and have been inadequate for routine clinical application. As a result, most blood banks maintain platelets in nonfrozen solutions. Using this approach, platelets can be stored for only about 5 days and are then discarded. This situation greatly limits the use of platelet transfusion in clinical practice. Information regarding fundamental cryobiological characteristics can be applied to predict platelet response to cryoprotective agent (CPA) addition/removal and to cooling/warming. Methods can then be engineered to optimize cryopreservation procedures, thereby minimizing platelet damage and maximizing postthaw recovery. It was therefore the purpose of this study to determine some of the necessary biophysical parameters required for this process: (i) plasma membrane hydraulic conductivity (Lp), (ii) cryoprotectant solute permeability coefficient (Ps), (iii) the associated reflection coefficient (ς), and (iv) their activation energies. The CPAs studied included dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) and propylene glycol at 1.5 M concentration. Permeability was measured at 22, 10, and 4°C using a modified Coulter counter in conjunction with a water-jacketed beaker system for temperature regulation. The Kedem–Katchalsky formalism was used to estimate the parameters using: (1) a three-parameter fit and (2) a two-parameter fit in which a noninteracting value of ς was calculated. Two-parameter estimates were in closer agreement with previously published values, and these were used in a model to simulate addition and removal of 0.64 M (5%) and 1.0 M (7.8%) Me2SO, the most common CPA currently used in empirically determined platelet cryopreservation protocols.