The Secret of the Eastern Wood Frog
According to a study published in a recent edition of the Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Eastern Wood frogs are able to survive being frozen for weeks. Not only is this discovery significant in that it may lead to better ways of storing food, it may also be helpful in improving fertility treatments.
Researchers from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom have found that Eastern Wood frogs can freeze to temperatures as low as -8 degrees Celsius without damaging their health. They thaw off in the spring and simply carry on due to their blood, which contains a sugar alcohol called glycerol. This compound can stop cells from deteriorating when they enter freezing temperatures. The researchers are currently trying to understand how glycerol can act as a cryoprotectant - a substance that prevents damage from the cold.
“If we understand what glycerol is doing, we might be able to fine-tune some of these cryoprotectants in order to find more effective combinations,” said Dr. Lorna Dougan, the lead author of the study. Her team of scientists recreated the frozen frog conditions and found that glycerol was crucial in preventing ice crystals from forming in freezing water. These findings may one day aid in discovering more effective methods of freezing food and even eggs used in IVF treatments.
“The experiments provide more insight into the fundamental properties of water. It raises questions about what cryoprotectants are doing in living organisms and could help us understand how these organisms survive,” Dougan explained.
Chris Hong
Staff Reporter
(chrishong@timescore.co.kr)