Cryopreservation of bovine mononuclear leukocytes.

A technique of cryopreservation of bovine mononuclear leukocytes for use in lymphocyte stimulation tests and cell identification studies has been developed. Dimethyl sulfoxide was used as the cryopreservation agent. Cells were frozen to --40 C at a controlled rate of --1 C/minute and then to --80 C at a rate of --4 C/minute, and were subsequently stored in liquid nitrogen (--109 C). The cells were than recovered by rapid thawing in a 37-C water bath, diluted with tissue culture media, washed, and used for lymphocyte stimulation and cell identification tests. The magnitude of the lymphocyte blastogenic responses of frozen and thawed mononuclear leukocytes was similar to that seen with freshly collected cells. Additionally, percentages of T cells, B cells, and monocytes were similar between frozen and thawed cells and freshly collected cells.