Glycerol preservation: basis

Partner eye banks in Global Sight Network’s non-profit consortium contribute corneas from
medically eligible donors in standard short-term storage medium. At GSN’s Birmingham
headquarters, these tissues are inspected, rinsed, and transferred to 100% glycerol containing
molecular sieves. They can be stored at room temperature in glycerol for up to 5 years.

Widely used in pharmaceutical formulations, glycerol (glycerin) is a colorless, odorless, and
viscous liquid whose three hydrophilic hydroxyl groups impart both solubility in water and
hygroscopicity (water-absorption). Glycerol has excellent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and
anti-viral properties, well documented by literature on skin and bone banking. Due
its dehydrating properties, glycerol is a de-cellularizing agent, allowing GPC to serve as

scaffolding for procedures not requiring viable cells. Use of GPC for lamellar keratoplasty
was established by pioneering experimental and clinical studies of J.H. King and associates, who preserved corneas in 95% commercial glycerol with molecular sieves. These
sodium and calcium alumino-silicates are physical adsorptive agents that remove water to an
extremely low vapor pressure.

References Cited

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¹¹ Kreis RW, Vloemans AF, Hoekstra MJ, et al. The use of non-viable glycerol-
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¹² Hoekstra MJ, Kreis RW, du Pont JS. History of the Euro Skin Bank: the innovation
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¹⁹ King JH, Jr. The use of preserved ocular tissues for transplantation. Transactions of
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²⁰ King JH, Jr., Townsend WM. The prolonged storage of donor corneas by glycerine
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²¹ King JH, Jr., Mc TJ, Meryman HT. Preservation of corneas for lamellar keratoplasty:
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