Cryogenic--will we be able to be revivied?

[Ps2Huang]

I heard there are some cryogenical associations planning to make frozen corpse be back alive.
Do you think it is possible biologically?

[TeleMad]

Originally Posted by Ps2Huang

I heard there are some cryogenical associations planning to make frozen corpse be back alive.
Do you think it is possible biologically?

Don't know about that, but I learned something new related to that today reading through the latest issue of Scientific American.

Most of us know that our cells need oxygen continuously or they will die: this is why brain damage occurs after about 4 minutes without oxygen. However, scientists have found that if oxygen is 'truly' eliminated - anoxia, not just hypoxia - then cells of mice, nematodes, etc. can go into a state of 'suspended animation', from which they can be fully revived. So either of the two 'extemes' seem compatible with life: normoxia or anoxia, but the middle ground (hypoxia) is very destructive. It appears that when cells still have some oxygen they attempt to carry on as usual, but can't, and so are damaged and die. But when they are 'totally' deprived of oxygen the basically throttle down to a nearly inactive state that is protective. The scientists have been successful with different organisms using either carbon monoxide or H2S (hydrogen sulfide -a poison) because of their 'anti-oxygen' properties that help push past hypoxia and into anoxia.

Even mammals as "high" as dogs and swine have been put into a state of suspended animation for an hour or more and then revived successfully .. I had no idea this could be done with organisms that complex!

The scientists are optimistic that humans too may have a hidden system at the cellular that allows us and/or our organs to be placed into suspended animation: it could help preserve organs for transplant and potentially be used to help trauma victims make it to the ER in better condition.

[Ps2Huang]

Originally Posted by TeleMad

Don't know about that, but I learned something new related to that today reading through the latest issue of Scientific American.

Most of us know that our cells need oxygen continuously or they will die: this is why brain damage occurs after about 4 minutes without oxygen. However, scientists have found that if oxygen is 'truly' eliminated - anoxia, not just hypoxia - then cells of mice, nematodes, etc. can go into a state of 'suspended animation', from which they can be fully revived. So either of the two 'extemes' seem compatible with life: normoxia or anoxia, but the middle ground (hypoxia) is very destructive. It appears that when cells still have some oxygen they attempt to carry on as usual, but can't, and so are damaged and die. But when they are 'totally' deprived of oxygen the basically throttle down to a nearly inactive state that is protective. The scientists have been successful with different organisms using either carbon monoxide or H2S (hydrogen sulfide -a poison) because of their 'anti-oxygen' properties that help push past hypoxia and into anoxia.

Even mammals as "high" as dogs and swine have been put into a state of suspended animation for an hour or more and then revived successfully .. I had no idea this could be done with organisms that complex!

The scientists are optimistic that humans too may have a hidden system at the cellular that allows us and/or our organs to be placed into suspended animation: it could help preserve organs for transplant and potentially be used to help trauma victims make it to the ER in better condition.

That is right. If we can use those formulas, we are able to survuve or being resurected.
And, we can rely on nano- to provide our cells with infinitve oxygen.

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by Ps2Huang

I heard there are some cryogenical associations planning to make frozen corpse be back alive.
Do you think it is possible biologically?

The current answer to this is "no". TM's point about anoxia is true, but the feasibility of getting an entire organism anoxic before incurring damage in nil. Further, there is more to worry about than anoxia/hypoxia. We freeze cells to prevent other bad things from happening (think about anaerobes in your gut going wild). Freezing itself is damaging in all but the smallest of creatures/systems. Even in those cases, we add things to the supernatant to disrupt water crystals (glycerin, DMSO, some buffers). Water crystallizes and ruptures all kinds of microvasculature and tissue structure.

Folks that have had themselves frozen are pretty much dead. But at least they look good.

[C1ay]

Perhaps Wood Frogs will help us with this some day....

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by C1ay

Perhaps Wood Frogs will help us with this some day....

Good one, C1ay. This would be the sort of solution that would be required- an endogenous intracellular "antifreeze". Animal size still matters, however: the larger the animal, the more difficult it is to freeze it. Also those of us that are warm blooded (which I think includes all humans except attorneys) have an even tougher time getting to freezing without dieing on the way. Frogs just generally slow down with temperature.

We could start human experiments, with attorneys, however. Sort of a compromise.

Some folks have suggested that use of attorneys as test subjects is better than standard white lab rats for at least three reasons:

1) There is a shortage of white rats
2) People easily get attached to white rats
3) There are some things you just can't make a white rat do.

Attorneys have none of the above problems.

[Fishteacher73]

My snakes are picky...They won't eat attorneys.

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by Biochemist

We could start human experiments, with attorneys, however. Sort of a compromise.

Are you suggesting that attorneys are human?

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by Fishteacher73

My snakes are picky...They won't eat attorneys.

Well, they're poisonous, and they will sue you if you try to eat them!

Cheers,
Buffy

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by Fishteacher73

My snakes are picky...They won't eat attorneys.

I think you have to like the taste of shark.