Abstract
Suspension-cultured cells of Arabidopsis thaliana were encapsulated in different gel beads; calcium alginate, K-carrageenan, agarose, agar, and cultured in media with high concentrations of sucrose. These cultured cells were dehydrated on silica gel and then cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen (LN_2). In the cells encapsulated in each gel beads, the higher rate of cell survival was observed after dehydration on silica gel as compared with those without encapsulation, suggesting some protective effects of the gels on cell dehydration. The culture of the cells in media with high concentrations of sucrose increased the rate of cell survival after cryopreservation in LN_2 with or without encapsulation. In the cells without encapsulation, however, the effect of sucrose in media was observed more clearly at higher concentrations than 0.75M
