Final answer:
Freezing-related cell damage from ice crystal formation limits the viability of preserving human bodies for future revival. The effectiveness of cryopreservation depends on minimizing ice formation, and current thawing techniques do not fully prevent cellular injury, thus posing significant challenges to the concept.
Step-by-step explanation:
Implications of Cell Damage from Freezing
When discussing the implications of cell damage due to freezing for preserving human bodies, the primary concern is the expansion of water as it freezes, causing a volume increase of roughly 9%. This expansion leads to the formation and growth of ice crystals which can burst between 10% to 30% of biological cells. Thus, cryopreservation's effectiveness for potential future revival depends significantly on the freezing process. If not done carefully, cell damage can be extensive, making preservation ineffective. Cryopreservation must employ techniques to mitigate damage, such as using cryoprotectants or controlled rate freezing to minimize ice crystal formation.
Moreover, the success of preservation is also dependent on the ability to revive these tissues without additional damage. Currently, thawing methods that can fully restore cryopreserved human bodies without further cellular injury do not exist. Cryopreservation is more effective for simpler biological samples, like cell lines or specific cell types, rather than whole organisms, due to the complexities involved.