Re:If cryonics suddenly worked, we'd need to face the fallout
by reasonattlm on Thursday April 28, 2016 @05:32PM
(#11592061)
Reversible vitrification is a serious field of research that actually appears pretty close to realization for use in the fields of tissue engineering and organ transplant. A number of independent research groups are working on a variety of approaches. Some sample reading:
I think that progress towards reversible vitrification of organs is one of the most important drivers of growing support and acceptance of cryonics among those who write and opinionate. It is hard to throw out the evidence for preservation of fine structure in the brain when there is earnest progress towards preserving the similarly fine structure needed for organ function.
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34190/...
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/2169002...
http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2015/nov/discovery-co...
It is also the case that a rabbit kidney has been vitrified, thawed, transplanted, and it worked for a while. See:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781097/
I think that progress towards reversible vitrification of organs is one of the most important drivers of growing support and acceptance of cryonics among those who write and opinionate. It is hard to throw out the evidence for preservation of fine structure in the brain when there is earnest progress towards preserving the similarly fine structure needed for organ function.