Biomacromolecules · Oct 12, 2026

Cell Cryoisolation and Cryopreservation without Any Organic Solvent

By Chu L, Ding Z, Li N et al.

Cell isolation and banking face challenges, balancing cryoprotective efficacy, functional preservation, and isolation purity, requiring innovative approaches with specificity, scalability, and native functionality. We developed a transformative platform based on DNA nanohydrogels enabling dual preservation-isolation through aptamer-guided trehalose delivery in a single workflow, achieving organic solvent-free cryopreservation and high-efficiency isolation via freeze-thaw lethality disparity, termed cryoisolation. The nanohydrogels encapsulate trehalose in hydrated 3D networks, while aptamer-functionalized frameworks enable receptor-specific targeting, driving rapid cellular internalization and release within 2 h, yielding post-thaw viability comparable to that of DMSO while reducing genomic instability (67% fewer differentially expressed genes). The platform can be extended to cryopreserve mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), confirming its applicability to sensitive primary cells without compromising functional integrity. Molecular-recognition-guided delivery creates differential freeze-thaw survival, enabling label-free isolation of target cells with >95% purity. By redesigning aptamer sequences, this modular platform demonstrates universal applicability, transforming conventional freeze-thaw cycles into precision cell-selection processes.

doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.6c00813PubMed 42912599Interventions