Abstract
In cryobiology, the freezing of tissues needs further detailed clarification. This study investigated microscopically the freezing behavior and subsequent post-thaw histological change in a complex tissue, namely, aortic media, which consisted mainly of intricately intertwined elastic fibers, collagen fibers, and smooth muscle cells. The freezing behavior was observed using two methods: optical microscopy of a section of a frozen sample and field emission scanning electron microscopy of a frozen sample. Comparison of the relation between the freezing behavior and the post-thaw histological changes observed in this study for aortic media and that previously reported for muscle tissues indicates that the presumption of freezing behavior based on the observed histological changes depends on the type of tissue.
