Discussion - Local freezing

Abstract

This morning the papers dealt with single cells and more or less disorganized groups of cells in transplants, or outside the body. It is evident that through severe exposures to cold many cells, sometimes most of the cells, succumb. Sometimes single cells, sometimes smaller groups of cells survive and are able to repopulate cultures and even form rather complex transplants, as demonstrated through the experiments with ovarian tissue. Dr Smith reported upon freezing of whole animals and their subsequent return to nearly normal life. Here quite a new factor is introduced in the experiment, viz. the disruption of the complex organized life of the whole animal. The homeostasis is disturbed to an extent where the most violent reactions of shock and counter-shock must be expected. As I have very small personal experience in this field, I will only venture to suggest that some of the internal haemorrhagic infarcts may have been caused by central nervous impulses, a mechanism which Dr Smith herself mentions in one of her papers. Such haemorrhagic infarcts may develop even in the course of seconds, as is easily demonstrated in many animals killed by a trauma to the head. If I am permitted to turn to a somewhat less complicated situation, the reaction of the local, organized tissue in situ , again the factor of disturbed interrelationship between the cells comes into play, during freezing and subsequent thawing.