LONG-TERM CRYOPRESERVED ALLOGENEIC NERVOUS AND VASCULAR TISSUE TRANSFERS IN MONKEYS

Four adult Japanese monkeys were used. Donor tissues were harvested fr om the radial artery, saphenous vein and median nerve, 10 cm in length , and cryopreserved at -196 degrees C in a stepwise manner for long-te rm preservation for more than 6 months. After rapid thawing of the tis sue the allogeneic tissue transfer was performed of the radial artery to the radial artery, the saphenous vein to the ulnar artery and the m edian nerve to the median nerve between male and female monkeys. After one year follow-up, angiography was performed and the transferred tis sue was harvested for scanning electron microscopic examination and hi stological examination. As a result, the allogeneic artery in the radi al artery was completely patent with no stenosis, whereas there was ob struction of the allogeneic vein in the ulnar artery. Good axonal reco very of the median nerve was observed on histological examination. The cellular structure of neurovascular tissue can be maintained even aft er long-term cryopreservation. The antigenicity of tissue may be reduc ed significantly by being frozen, and cryopreserved allogeneic artery can be transferred successfully without the use of immunosuppressive a gents. In this report, clinical aspects and the great potential of all ogeneic neurovascular tissue transfer, especially in combination with arterial transfer, using cryopreservation are discussed. (C) 1997 Wile y-Liss, Inc.