biostasis

Biostasis is the state or process of preserving biological function or delaying the deterioration and death of a person, tissue, or organism. The term is used in several contexts: in medicine to describe strategies that reduce metabolic demand during surgery or after injury, such as therapeutic hypothermia and organ preservation; in cryonics to describe preserving a person at cryogenic temperatures for potential future revival; and in biology and conservation to describe preserving cells, tissues, or specimens for research or storage. The overarching aim is to maintain viability or functional integrity for as long as possible.

In clinical settings, cooling the body or organs slows metabolism to protect against ischemic injury. Therapeutic hypothermia is used after cardiac arrest or trauma, followed by controlled rewarming. For transplantation, hypothermic storage and machine perfusion extend organ viability. In cryopreservation research, cells, embryos, and tissues are preserved with cryoprotectants and controlled cooling to minimize ice formation and damage.

Cryonics applies similar concepts at much lower temperatures, often with vitrification, to stop biochemical processes with the goal of revival when future technologies exist. Whole-body and neuro-based approaches are pursued, but no method has demonstrated reliable revival after long-term storage, and the practice is controversial and largely experimental.

Limitations include damage from freezing and rewarming, toxicity of cryoprotectants, and uncertainties about future revival capabilities. Ethical, legal, and practical concerns—such as consent, cost, access, and definitions of death—are commonly discussed by critics and supporters alike.