Trehalose ameliorates the cryopreservation of cord blood in a preclinical system and increases the recovery of CFUs, long-term culture-initiating cells, and nonobese diabetic-SCID repopulating cells.

Background: The cryopreservation of HPCs in DMSO has been practiced by cord blood (CB) banks worldwide. Inevitably, some detriment to biologic function occurs as the result of freezing injuries and DMSO toxicity. Trehalose, a disaccharide, is a natural cryoprotectant in organisms capable of surviving extreme dehydration and cold.