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Mix the components in the order listed. When the medium is added to the DMSO the solution will warm up due to chemical heat.
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Harvest the cells from a culture that is at or near peak density by centrifuging at 400 x g for 5 minutes.
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Adjust the concentration to between 2 x 105 and 2 x 106 cells/mL with fresh medium. If the concentration is too low, centrifuge at 400 x g for 5 min and resuspend the pellet in the volume of fresh medium required to yield the desired concentration.
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Mix the cell preparation and the DMSO in equal portions. The time from the mixing of the cell preparation and DMSO stock solution to the start of the freezing process should be no less than 15 min and no longer than 30 min.
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Dispense in 0.5 mL aliquots into 1.0 - 2.0 mL sterile plastic screw-capped cryules (special plastic vials for cryopreservation).
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Place vials in a controlled rate freezing unit. From room temperature cool at -1°C/min to -40°C. If freezing unit can compensate for the heat of fusion, maintain rate at -1°C/min through heat of fusion. At -40°C plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen. Alternatively, place the vials in a Nalgene 1°C freezing apparatus. Place the apparatus at -80°C for 1.5 to 2 hours and then plunge ampules into liquid nitrogen. (The cooling rate in this apparatus is approximately -1°C/min.)
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The frozen preparations are stored in either the vapor or liquid phase of a nitrogen freezer.
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To establish a culture from the frozen state, place the vial in a 35°C water bath until thawed (2-3 min). Immerse the vial to a level just above the surface of the frozen material. Do not agitate the vial. Immediately after thawing, do not leave in water bath, aseptically remove the contents of the ampule and inoculate into a T-25 containing 10 mL fresh medium.
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Incubate the culture at 15-25°C under a 14 hour light (~50 µEinsteins/m2/s irradiance)/10 hour dark cycle with the cap screwed on tightly.