Effects of pressure and temperature on the survival rate of adherent A-172 cells

Preservation of cells under high pressure is an important alternative to cryopreservation. We studied the effect of temperature (4, 25, 37 degrees C) and pressure (0.1-350MPa) on the survival rate of A-172 glioblastoma cells. The survival rate was not changed by brief (10min) pressurization of up to 150MPa, but the survival rate began to decrease from 150MPa, and most of the A-172 cells died when treated with over 200MPa. Lengthy pressurization (4 days) at lower pressure (upto 20.1MPa) without medium exchange showed complex results. The survival rate of cells preserved at 25 degrees C showed two maxima at 1.6 and 20.1MPa. After preservation, cells adhered and proliferated in the same way as normal cells when cultured at 37 degrees C in a CO2 incubator. The other two temperatures, 4 degrees and 37 degrees C, showed no maximum survival rate. Therefore, a high survival rate can be maintained with high pressure treatment.