Every year, millions of biospecimens, including human tissues and blood, are preserved around the world for disease diagnosis and research. Biological samples can be maintained for extended periods of time for future use or to allow transportation to different locations for analysis. However, specific measures are required to mitigate possible damage caused by temperatures and preservation conditions. While most scientific procedures may be performed on specimens stored in ultra-low temperature freezers (ULT), the quality of the specimens can be impacted within the storage equipment.

This article examines optimum storage conditions for the long-term preservation of human tissue and blood specimens, as well as infrastructural considerations and best practices for long-term sample storage.