Featured Article
Cryoware, as cryogenic lab consumables are commonly known, includes storage vials, vial cap inserts, vial canes and associated labels, tags and markers, boxes, racks and coolers, and play an important role in the cryopreservation of cell cultures.
Depending on the area of application, many cryoware options are available.
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation is the process of freezing cell cultures and storing them at extremely low temperatures. During that process, cultured cells are mixed with a cryo-protective solution and added to labeled storage vials, which are then cooled to freezing at a set rate.
Cooling rate is important for the dehydration of cells and is controlled by holding the storage vials in racks in a liquid nitrogen freezer. Insulated cardboard or polystyrene foam boxes can also function as freezing chambers.
Following cooling, the vials are transferred to a liquid nitrogen freezer where they can be stored in the liquid nitrogen vapor phase at temperatures between ‒140 °C and ‒180 °C, or submerged in the liquid nitrogen at a temperature below ‒196 °C.
On a need basis, the cell culture mixture is thawed and processed to remove the cells.
Tips for selecting cryoware
Application
The first factor is the suitability of the cryoware for a particular application and there are many available options.
Thermo Scientific Nalgene general long-term storage cryogenic tubes are for research and general lab storage.
For biobanking tissue samples, WHEATON provides the CryoELITE tissue vials that meet USP Class VI classification.
Vials
Cryogenic vials are available with conical, round or square bottoms and with a cap, which may fit an internally threaded or externally threaded vial.
Corning Incorporated offers conical and round bottom external threaded vials with plug seal caps, external threaded vials with silicone washers and internal threaded vials with silicone washers. The external threaded vials have a self-standing base and a self-locking skirt. The vials are manufactured of polypropylene and withstand temperatures as low as ‒196 °C.
E-Z Microtubes from WHEATON Science Products have a twist-lock feature for automated capping and decapping.
Caps
Most caps accept color-coded inserts, which simplify vial identification. Plug-type caps may not accept color-coded inserts.
The Corning Incorporated external threaded vials with silicone washers and internal threaded vials with silicone washers accept color-coded inserts. The external threaded vials with plug seal caps do not accept color-coded inserts.
Argos Technologies, Inc. and Corning Incorporated offer color-coded cap inserts.
Canes
Aluminum canes hold vials for freezer storage or immersion in liquid nitrogen. Cane sleeves of clear plastic PVC protect vials in aluminum canes during handling and storage.
Heathrow Scientific LLC supplies aluminum canes and PVC cane sleeves.
Labels, tags and markers
Labels, tags and markers allow sample identification and traceability.
Most vials have printed marking spots or areas for easy labeling with special markers. These markers usually withstand fading under storage conditions.
For vials without marking spots, labels with special adhesive can be used. GA International Inc. provides thermal transfer, laser and inkjet labels.
Printed bar codes are also available as labels on vials such as the Thermo Scientific Nalgene and Nunc and the E-Z Microtubes with permanent 2D Data Matrix bar codes from WHEATON Science Products.
Racks can also be labeled with printed bar codes. Thermo Scientific offers the Nunc Barcoded Loose Rack for Cryobank vials and Bank-It systems with laser-etched 2-D barcodes.
Bar codes can be scanned for vial identification and traceability. The SingleScan and PluraScan 2D bar code readers are available from WHEATON Science Products.
Boxes
Storage boxes come in many options and sizes based on the type of freezer and the available freezer space.
Corning Incorporated offers 9 × 9 array and 10 × 10 array cryogenic storage boxes.
Bel-Art Products and Heathrow Scientific LLC provide a wide assortment of storage boxes.
Boxes are available to work with specific vial configurations. To accommodate its vial design for biobanking applications, WHEATON Science Products supplies the CryoFile tissue boxes.
Racks
Storage racks come in many options and sizes based on the type of freezer and the available freezer space.
Argos Technologies, Inc. offers upright freezer racks, chest freezer racks and the LiteSafe 100-place freezer box.
Racks also are available to work with specific vial configurations. To accommodate its vial design, Corning Incorporated provides a polycarbonate rack and tray with a self-locking design and a reusable polypropylene vial rack, both with a self-locking design.
Heathrow Scientific LLC offers a wide assortment of storage racks.
Coolers
Coolers come in many sizes and freezing capacity.
A wide range of cooler options are available from Bel-Art Products and Heathrow Scientific LLC.
Electron Microscopy Sciences offers cooling and ice baths and cooling systems such as the CoolSafe and CoolSafe Deluxe.
Customization options
Thermo Scientific provides customization options for code type, length and format for bar-coded tubes.
Representative cryoware
Below is a list of representative cryoware. For more information, please visit www.labcompare.com.
Argos Technologies, Inc.
Bel-Art Products
- Boxes
- Cryo-Safe vial storage box:
- 25-place 2.0 vials (http://www.belart.com/shop/188490000-cryosafe8482-vial-storage-place-vial-p-188490000.html)
- 81-place 2.0 vials (http://www.belart.com/shop/188490001-cryosafe8482-vial-storage-place-vial-p-188490001.html)
- 81-place, 5.0 vials (http://www.belart.com/shop/188490002-cryosafe8482-vial-storage-place-vial-p-188490002.html)
- Freezer storage box
- 100-place, natural, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510011-freezer-storage-100place-natural-pack-p-937890491.html)
- 100-place, blue, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=cryo&sort=2a&page=5)
- 100-place, green, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510013-freezer-storage-100place-green-pack-p-937890489.html)
- 100-place, orange, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510014-freezer-storage-100place-orange-pack-p-937890487.html)
- 100-place, purple, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510015-freezer-storage-100place-purple-pack-p-937890490.html)
- 100-place, assorted colors, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510016-freezer-storage-100place-assorted-colors-pack-p-937890596.html)
- 100-place, black, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188510017-freezer-storage-100place-black-pack-p-937890598.html)
- 81-place, natural, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=cryo&sort=2a&page=7)
- 81-place, blue, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188520012-freezer-storage-81place-blue-pack-p-937890482.html)
- 81-place, green, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188520013-freezer-storage-81place-green-pack-p-937890483.html)
- 81-place, orange, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188520014-freezer-storage-81place-orange-pack-p-937890481.html)
- 81-place, purple, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188520015-freezer-storage-81place-purple-pack-p-937890484.html)
- 81-place, assorted colors, 5 packs (http://www.belart.com/shop/188520016-freezer-storage-81place-assorted-colors-pack-p-937890600.html)
- Racks
- Floating racks for cryotubes (http://www.belart.com/shop/188760020-floating-rack-cyrotubes-p-188760020.html)
- Cryo tower storage systems
- 4 levels (http://www.belart.com/shop/188530004-cryo-tower-storage-system-levels-p-188530004.html)
- 8 levels (http://www.belart.com/shop/188530008-cryo-tower-storage-system-levels-p-188530008.html)
- Coolers
- Cryo-SafeMini Quick-Freeze coolers (http://www.belart.com/shop/188460010-cryosafe8482-mini-quickfreeze-cooler-p-188460010.html)
- 0°C Cryo-Safe
- Junior coolers (http://www.belart.com/shop/188461000-0degc-cryosafe%C3%A2%C2%84%C2%A2-junior-cooler-p-188461000.html)
- Maxi coolers (http://www.belart.com/shop/188462000-0degc-cryosafe%C3%A2%C2%84%C2%A2-maxi-cooler-p-188462000.html)
- Mini cooler (http://www.belart.com/shop/188460000-0degc-cryosafe%C3%A2%C2%84%C2%A2-mini-cooler-p-188460000.html)
- -20°C Cryo-Safe
- Mini cooler (http://www.belart.com/shop/188460020-20degc-cryosafe%C3%A2%C2%84%C2%A2-mini-cooler-p-188460020.html)
- Maxi coolers (http://www.belart.com/shop/188462020-20degc-cryosafe%C3%A2%C2%84%C2%A2-maxi-cooler-p-188462020.html)
Corning Incorporated
Electron Microscopy Sciences
- Cryo Vials and Cryo Vial racks, holders and boxes (http://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/cryofixation/cryo_vials_racks.aspx)
- Cryo Vials
- CapInsert for Cryo Vial tubes
- Wide-mouth cryogenic vials
- Cryo-Lok cryogenic vials
- Cryogenic vial racks
- Simport Cryostore boxes
- Cryo storage boxes
- Cryo transport boxes
- Cardboard cryogenic vial boxes and partitions
- NovaRack and NovaChambers
- Work2Store expanding storage racks
- One-Rack test tube rack
- Rota-Rack tube rack
- 4-way microtube rack
- 80-well microtube racks
- 96-well reversible racks
- 100-well microtube storage racks
- True North slide boxes
- 15 and 50 mL 2 × 3 upright freezer racks
- 15 and 50 mL cardboard cryogenic boxes and dividers
- Electropolished stainless steel freezer racks
- Cardboard freezer boxes and dividers
- Cryogenic labels, tags and markers (http://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/cryofixation/cryogenic_labels.aspx)
- Laser Cryo-Babies and Cryo-Tags
- Cryo-Babies and Cryo-Tags on a Roll
- Cryo-Clear laser labels
- Direct Thermal CryoTags Colors
- Cryo-Tags
- Thermal Transfer Cryo-Tags
- Micro Tube Label; Tough-Tags
- Cryo labels and markers
- Cloth-Textured—Hi/Lo temperature tape
- Wet grips
- Cryogenic labels
- Cooling chambers and ice baths (http://www.emsdiasum.com/microscopy/products/cryofixation/cooling_chamber.aspx)
- The CoolSafe
- The CoolSafe Deluxe
- Standalone specialty cooling chambers
- CryoVial cooling chambers
- Mini-Cooling chambers
- GLACIERbrand ice pans
- GLACIERbrand ice buckets
- Cryogenic workstations
- True North chilling jars
- True North mini coolers
- ChillDown
- True North cool containers
Heathrow Scientific LLC
- Vials
- True North cryogenic vials
- 50-Well cryogenic vial holders
- Canes
- Cryogenic vial canes
- PVC cryogenic cane sleeves
- Boxes
- 15 and 50 mL cardboard cryogenic boxes and dividers
- Microtube storage boxes
- 81-well
- 100-well
- 50-well
- Arctic Squares polycarbonate cryostorage boxes
- Cardboard cryogenic vial boxes and partitions
- True North slide boxes
- Racks
- Freezer racks
- General 3 × 3 upright
- 15 and 50 mL 2 x 3 upright
- 15 and 50 mL 4 x 1
- True North assay plates
- Arctic Squares
- True North Standard
- Work2Store expanding storage
- 50- or 100-well EPS foam tube racks
- Coolers
- True North
- Mini coolers
- Chilling jars
- Cool containers
Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Cryotubes (http://www.thermoscientific.com/en/products/cryo-tubes.html)
- Linear
- Barcoded tubes
- Nalgene general long-term storage cryogenic tubes
- Nunc
- 1.8 mL externally threaded universal tubes
- 2.0 mL internally threaded universal tubes
- Biobanking and cell culture cryogenic tubes
- Low profile 5.0 mL externally threaded universal tubes
- Cryobank vials (http://www.thermoscientific.com/en/products/cryobank-vials.html)
- Dense storage options
- Nunc
- Bank-It vial systems
- Barcoded loose rack for Cryobank vials and Bank-It systems
- Coded Cryobank vial systems
- Cryobank and Bank-It replacement caps
- Cryobank and Bank-It vial rack
- Non-Coded Cryobank vial systems
- Press out tool for Cryobank and Bank-It vial systems
- Retention plate for Cryobank and Bank-It vial systems
- Screwdrivers for Cryobank and Bank-It vial systems
- Cryoware Accessories (http://www.thermoscientific.com/en/products/cryoware-accessories.html)
- 81-well cryogenic storage racks with lid
- Benchtop coolers and flasks
- CryoBox freezer racks
- Cryoboxes
- Cryoware labels, permanent markers and pens
- Mr. Frosty freezing containers
- Nalgene
- General long-term storage cryogenic tube accessories
- Locator Plus racks for 81-ampule cryogenic boxes
- Quick Chill units
- Nunc
- Biobanking and cell culture cryogenic tube accessories
- CryoTube colored caps
- Storage box and racks
- Storage vial color coders
- Storage vial color coders
- Universal latch rack for cryogenic tubes
- Storage canes
USA Scientific, Inc.
WHEATON Science Products
Looking ahead
It is expected that manufacturers and suppliers will focus on specialty cryogenic vials to accommodate the particular requirements for cryogenic storage of biological tissue samples.
Providers
A list of representative providers of cryoware is in Table 1.
Table 1 ‒ Providers of cryoware
| Argos Technologies, Inc. | Elgin, IL | www.argos-tech.com |
| Bel-Art Products | Wayne, NJ | www.belart.com |
| Corning Incorporated | Tewksbury, MA | www.corning.com |
| Electron Microscopy Sciences | Hatfield, PA | www.emsdiasum.com |
| Fisher Scientific | Pittsburgh, PA | www.fishersci.com |
| GA International Inc. | Québec, Canada | www.ga-international.com |
| Globe Scientific Inc. | Paramus, NJ | www.globescientific.com |
| Heathrow Scientific LLC | Vernon Hills, IL | www.heathrowscientific.com |
| Research Products International Corp. | Mount Prospect, IL | www.rpicorp.com |
| Simport Scientific | Beloeil, Quebec, Canada | www.simport.com |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific | Waltham, MA | www.thermoscientific.com |
| USA Scientific, Inc. | Ocala, FL | www.usascientific.com |
| WHEATON Science Products | Millville, NJ | www.wheaton.com |
Lina Genovesi, Ph.D., JD, is a technical, regulatory and business writer based in Princeton, N.J.; e-mail: [email protected]; www.linagenovesi.com