Snap Freezing on Dry Ice
INTRODUCTION
Snap freezing is the technique in which a sample is rapidly frozen using dry ice, a dry ice/ethanol slurry or liquid nitrogen. Samples frozen in this manner include bacteria and viral stocks, cell lysates, proteins, and tissues. Snap freezing reduces the chance of water present in the sample forming ice crystals during the freezing process, and better maintains the integrity of the sample. In the case of tissue or lysates, snap freezing slows the actions of proteases and nucleases to inhibit degradation of molecules such as RNA or proteins.
Typically, snap freezing is performed either directly in dry ice or in a bath containing dry ice with ethanol or isopropanol. Liquid nitrogen is commonly used for snap freezing tissue pieces. BioCision tools including CoolRack, CoolBox and ice buckets, are easily adapted to these techniques and eliminate alcohol from the process, providing easier handling, organization, and better reproducibility.
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PROBLEM 
PRODUCT SELECTION GUIDE FOR SNAP FREEZING
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Type of Tube |
CoolRack (# of samples) |
CoolRack Catalog # |
Ice Pan |
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Microfuge, 1.5 or 2.0 ml |
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Cryovials |
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Centrifuge tubes |
*All CoolRack modules are compatible with dry ice and LN2. CLICK HERE to select a CoolRack for your specific need.
PERFORMANCE DATA
Use of CoolRack Module in Snap Freezing Increases Reproducibility
Performance test: Tests were performed with a 0.5 ml Sarstedt tube (#72.785) containing 0.25 ml water. The interior water temperature was measured using a thermocouple probe inserted through a hole introduced into the cap and held in an axial orientation by a custom cap adaptor. Vials were placed in a dry well in the CoolRack (green) or directly into dry ice (red) and the temperature recorded. Data shown are from three different vials.