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NORTHSTAR CRYO

Technology

Ice-free preservation for complex cell clusters.

CryoMesh is a vitrification platform: a thermally conductive mesh and a matched cryopreservation protocol that cool and rewarm islets fast enough to avoid ice entirely.

The barrier

Ice is the problem.

Conventional slow freezing works for single-cell suspensions but does not prevent ice from forming in multicellular clusters like islets. Ice damages cell structure and function.

Vitrification avoids ice by cooling fast enough, with enough cryoprotectant, that cells solidify into a glass. Earlier vitrification methods, such as straws and droplets, preserve islet quality but only in small volumes.

Micrograph of islets on mesh with white ice crystals
Ice formation. Scale bar, 200 µm.
Micrograph of clear, vitrified islets on CryoMesh
Vitrified on CryoMesh. Scale bar, 200 µm.

How it works

Six steps from fresh to frozen and back.

  1. 01

    Load

    Islets are equilibrated with a cryoprotective agent (CPA) formulated for the biomaterial.

  2. 02

    Deposit

    Islets are spread on CryoMesh, and excess CPA is removed to minimize thermal mass.

  3. 03

    Vitrify and store

    The mesh is plunged into liquid nitrogen and held at cryogenic temperature.

  4. 04

    Rewarm

    The mesh is rewarmed rapidly, fast enough to avoid ice formation during warming.

  5. 05

    Unload

    CPA is removed in controlled steps to limit osmotic stress.

  6. 06

    Use

    Recovered islets are ready for culture, testing, or transplantation.

CryoMesh plunged into liquid nitrogen.

Two gold-colored CryoMesh units on a dark surface
CryoMesh units.

Design

Engineered for heat transfer and scale.

  • Minimal thermal mass

    Removing excess solution lets heat move in and out of islets quickly.

  • Efficient heat transfer

    The thin, thermally conductive mesh supports very rapid cooling and rewarming.

  • CPA optimized per biomaterial

    Compatible with cryoprotective agent formulations optimized for each biomaterial.

  • Built to scale

    Up to 600,000 islet equivalents (IEQ) per mesh, with multiple meshes processed in parallel.

CryoMesh is built on background intellectual property developed by the founding team and exclusively licensed to NorthStar Cryo by the University of Minnesota.

Collaborate

Partner with us

We work with developers of islet and cell-based therapies to evaluate CryoMesh in their programs. Major pharmaceutical companies are evaluating CryoMesh.

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