Tissue Processing & Preservation Flashcards
7 cards from real CTBS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Tissue Processing & Preservation flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of adding albumin to cryopreservation media for vascular tissue?
Answer: To act as a membrane stabilizer and colloidal oncotic agent
Albumin stabilizes cell membranes during osmotic stress and maintains colloid osmotic pressure to reduce cell swelling during the freeze-thaw process.
When gamma irradiation is used for allograft sterilization, what is the MOST significant concern regarding biomechanical properties of tendon allografts?
Answer: Dose-dependent reduction in tensile strength
High-dose gamma irradiation degrades collagen fibers through free radical generation, leading to measurable dose-dependent reductions in tensile strength.
A technician notices ice crystal formation on the outside of cryopreservation bags during controlled-rate freezing. This MOST likely indicates:
Answer: Nucleation has occurred and latent heat release may cause a temperature spike
External ice crystal formation signals nucleation, which releases latent heat and can cause a temporary temperature rise (recalescence) that must be managed by the controlled-rate freezer.
Which property of glycerol makes it suitable as a cryoprotectant for red blood cells but less ideal for most other tissue types?
Answer: It requires high concentrations (40%) and lengthy deglycerolization before use
Glycerol works well for RBCs but requires high concentrations and extensive post-thaw washing (deglycerolization) to remove toxic levels before transfusion, limiting practicality for complex tissues.
What does the term 'terminal sterilization' mean in the context of tissue banking?
Answer: A sterilization process applied to the final packaged product
Terminal sterilization refers to a validated sterilization method (e.g., gamma irradiation, EO gas) applied to tissue in its final container after all processing is complete.
Which factor is MOST likely to reduce the efficacy of ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization of a tissue allograft?
Answer: Excessive moisture trapped within the tissue
Excess moisture can react with EO to form ethylene glycol residues and may also impede gas penetration, reducing sterilization efficacy and leaving harmful byproducts.
During aseptic processing of tissue, which environmental monitoring parameter is used to assess viable airborne contamination?
Answer: Active air sampling using impaction samplers
Active air sampling with devices like impaction or centrifugal samplers collects viable microorganisms from the air to assess biological contamination risk in clean rooms.