Erythrocytic cells and method for preserving cells

A process for loading an oligosaccharide into erythrocytic cells comprising:

• providing erythrocytic cells having an alcohol;
• removing at least a portion of the alcohol from the erythrocytic cells to produce erythrocytic cells having a phase transition temperature range selected from the group consisting of a low phase transition temperature range, an intermediate phase transition temperature range, and a high phase transition temperature range;
• and
• disposing the erythrocytic cells in an oligosaccharide solution for loading an oligosaccharide into the erythrocytic cells.

A process for increasing the survival of dehydrated erythrocytic cells after storage comprising:

• providing erythrocytic cells from a mammalian species and having an alcohol;
• removing alcohol from the erythrocytic cells;
• loading the erythrocytic cells with a preservative;
• dehydrating the erythrocytic cells while maintaining a residual water content in the erythrocytic cells equal to or less than about 0.30 gram of residual water per gram of dry weight erythrocytic cells to increase erythrocytic cell survival upon rehydrating after storage;
• storing the dehydrated erythrocytic cells having the residual water content equal to or less than about 0.30 gram of residual water per gram of dry weight erythrocytic cells;
• and
• rehydrating the stored dehydrated erythrocytic cells with the stored dehydrated erythrocytic cells surviving dehydration and storage.

A process of preparing loaded erythrocytic cells comprising:

• providing erythrocytic cells selected from a mammalian species and including an alcohol;
• removing at least a portion of the alcohol from the erythrocytic cells to produce erythrocytic cells having at least three phase transition temperature ranges;
• and
• loading an oligosaccharide into the erythrocytic cells at a temperature in a range of temperatures approximating one of the three phase transition temperature ranges to produce loaded erythrocytic cells.

A process of preparing a dehydrated composition comprising:

• providing erythrocytic cells selected from a mammalian species and including an alcohol;
• loading internally the erythrocytic cells with more than about 10 mM of an oligosaccharide therein to preserve biological properties, said loading including incubating the erythrocytic cells with an oligosaccharide solution having an oligosaccharide therein and a temperature in a range of temperatures selected from the group consisting of a low phase transition temperature range, an intermediate phase transition temperature range, and a high phase transition temperature range;
• cooling the loaded erythrocytic cells to below their freezing point;
• and
• lyophilizing the cooled erythrocytic cells.