Abstract: A device for holding substances during drying comprising a flask having a structure defining an opening. A pair of contiguous or juxtaposed filters is disposed in the opening. A freeze-drying assembly comprising a freeze-drying apparatus, and the device disposed in the apparatus for holding substances during freeze-drying processing. A method for processing a substance under sterile conditions comprising disposing a substance in a flask, positioning the flask in a drying apparatus, and passing a drying medium through a pair of juxtaposed filters for drying the substance.

Abstract: A method for loading a biological sample comprising loading a biological sample with a solute and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) by fluid phase endocytosis to produce an internally loaded biological sample. A dehydrated composition is provided that includes dried biological samples containing dimethylsulfoxide and a solute. A method for increasing the survival of biological samples comprising providing biological samples, loading the biological samples with a carbohydrate and dimethylsulfoxide to produce loaded biological samples, and drying (e.g., air drying or vacuum drying) the loaded biological samples while maintaining a residual water content in the biological samples of at least about 0.01 gram water per gram of dry weight of biological samples to increase survival of the biological samples upon rehydrating.

Abstract: A dehydrated composition is provided that includes freeze-dried platelets. The platelets are loaded with trehalose which preserves biological properties during freeze-drying and rehydration. The trehalose loading is conducted at a temperature of from greater than about 25° C. to less than about 40° C., most preferably at 37° C., with the loading solution having trehalose in an amount from about 10 mM to about 50 mM. These freeze-dried platelets are substantially shelf-stable and are rehydratable so as to have a normal response to an agonist, for example, thrombin, with virtually all of the platelets participating in clot formation within about three minutes at 37° C.

Abstract: A method for loading a biological sample comprising loading a biological sample with a solute by fluid phase endocytosis to produce an internally loaded biological sample. Within the biological sample a first matter (e.g., a vesicle) having the solute fuses with a second matter (e.g., a lysosome) to produce a fused matter containing the solute. Loading of the biological sample includes transferring the solute from the fused matter into cytoplasm within the biological sample.

Abstract: A dehydrated composition is provided that includes freeze-dried platelets. The platelets are loaded with trehalose which preserves biological properties during freeze-drying and rehydration. The trehalose loading is conducted at a temperature of from greater than about 25° C. to less than about 40° C., most preferably at 37° C., with the loading solution having trehalose in an amount from about 10 mM to about 50 mM. These freeze-dried platelets are substantially shelf-stable and are rehydratable so as to have a normal response to an agonist, for example, thrombin, with virtually all of the platelets participating in clot formation within about three minutes at 37° C.

Abstract: A device for holding substances during drying comprising a flask having a structure defining an opening. A pair of contiguous or juxtaposed filters is disposed in the opening. A freeze-drying assembly comprising a freeze-drying apparatus, and the device disposed in the apparatus for holding substances during freeze-drying processing. A method for processing a substance under sterile conditions comprising disposing a substance in a flask, positioning the flask in a drying apparatus, and passing a drying medium through a pair of juxtaposed filters for drying the substance.

Abstract: A dehydrated composition is provided that includes freeze-dried eukaryotic cells. The eukaryotic cells are loaded with an oligosaccharide (e.g., trehalose) which preserves biological properties during freeze-drying and rehydration. The oligosaccharide loading is conducted at a temperature of from greater than about 25° C. to less than about 50° C., more preferably at about 35° C., with the loading solution having the oligosaccharide in an amount from about 10 mM to about 100 mM. These freeze-dried eukaryotic cells are rehydratable. A process for preserving and/or increasing the survival of dehydrated eukaryotic cells, including storing dehydrated eukaryotic cells having a residual water content greater than about 0.15 gram of water per gram of dry weight eukaryotic cells.

Abstract: A dehydrated composition is provided that includes freeze-dried platelets. The platelets are loaded with trehalose which preserves biological properties during freeze-drying and rehydration. The trehalose loading is conducted at a temperature of from greater than about 25° C. to less than about 40° C., most preferably at 37° C., with the loading solution having trehalose in an amount from about 10 mM to about 50 mM. These freeze-dried platelets are substantially shelf-stable and are rehydratable so as to have a normal response to an agonist, for example, thrombin, with virtually all of the platelets participating in clot formation within about three minutes at 37° C.

Abstract: A dehydrated composition is provided that includes freeze-dried platelets. The platelets are loaded with trehalose which preserves biological properties during freeze-drying and rehydration. The trehalose loading is conducted at a temperature of from greater than about 25° C. to less than about 40° C., most preferably at 37° C., with the loading solution having trehalose in an amount from about 10 mM to about 50 mM. These freeze-dried platelets are substantially shelf-stable and are rehydratable so as to have a normal response to an agonist, for example, thrombin, with virtually all of the platelets participating in clot formation within about three minutes at 37° C.

Abstract: Leakage from liposomes or biological cells and structural damage, which occur upon cooling through the thermotropic phase transition temperature and upon storage at temperatures below the phase transition temperature are reduced or eliminated by incorporating thermal hysteresis proteins in the liposome or cell structure. Preferred thermal hysteresis proteins are antifreeze proteins and antifreeze glycoproteins from polar fish species, and chromatographic fraction no. 8 of antifreeze glycoproteins has been found to be particularly effective.