Organ, Tissue & Blood Product Viability Reference

Organ & tissue viability reference

Viability windows, storage and transport temperatures, and which products travel on dry ice — for organs, tissue, cellular products and blood components. Compiled for transport planning, with the conservative published figure quoted wherever sources disagree.

44 entries 11 trigger dry ice UN1845 Class 9 21 CFR 600.15

Product	Viability window	Storage	Transport	Ships on	Notes
Organs
Heart	6 h (OPTN)	4–8 °C	4–8 °C	Static cold storage / controlled hypothermic	FDA device labeling reads “up to 4 hours.” Machine perfusion is used clinically beyond that; no authority states an absolute maximum.
Lung	6 h (OPTN); 2–6 h (UNOS)	0–4 °C ice	0–4 °C; 10 °C controlled	Static cold storage / controlled hypothermic	Static-storage ceiling commonly cited at 8 h. 10 °C storage has been validated to 24 h in peer-reviewed work; quote the conservative figure.
Liver	12 h (OPTN)	0–4 °C	0–4 °C	Static cold storage; machine perfusion	Machine-perfusion devices are large — one common unit is roughly 209 lb and 21 cu ft, which exceeds this aircraft's practical envelope.
Kidney — static cold storage	36 h (OPTN)	2–8 °C	2–8 °C	Static cold storage	The least time-critical organ class. 36 h is the practical wall in the literature; clean window is far shorter.
Kidney — machine perfusion	24 h (FDA device maximum)	4–8 °C / 2–10 °C	4–8 °C	Hypothermic machine perfusion	Device-labeled maximum, not a regulatory limit.
Pancreas	12 h (OPTN)	~4 °C	~4 °C	Static cold storage	No official maximum. Graft-failure risk rises materially past 12 h.
Intestine	12 h (OPTN)	Not published	Not published	Static cold storage	Preservation injury is described within 12 h; bacterial translocation rises sharply past about 9 h.
Uterus	Deceased-donor median ~5.5 h	4 °C	4 °C	Static cold storage	No definable human threshold in the literature.
VCA — hand / face	Median ~6 h	Not published	Not published	Static cold storage	Skeletal muscle is the binding constraint at under 2 h warm ischemia — tighter than any solid organ.
Tissue
Cornea — hypothermic media	14 days	2–8 °C	≤8 °C	Wet ice, insulated	Optisol-GS, Life4C, Kerasave, Xtra4, Cornisol all label 14 days.
Cornea — organ culture (EU)	28–30 days	~31 °C	Ambient	Ambient — no ice	Active-metabolism storage. Not a US practice.
Sclera — sterile	~2 years	2–30 °C — do not freeze	Ambient	Ambient	Gamma-irradiated, supplied in saline.
Heart valve — cryopreserved DRY ICE	Up to 5 years	Below −150 °C	−150 °C or −76 °C	LN2 dry shipper or dry ice	Where dry ice is used this becomes a UN1845 Class 9 shipment.
Skin — fresh / viable	Under ~5 days (metabolic decline)	+2 to +10 °C	+2 to +10 °C	Refrigerated / wet ice	No published maximum retrieved; evidence is metabolic, not a labeled limit.
Skin — cryopreserved DRY ICE	2 years at −80 °C	−80 °C / −40 to −80 °C	Frozen	Dry ice	Instructions for use direct removal of the envelope from dry ice on receipt.
Skin — glycerol-preserved	Up to 5 years	+2 to +10 °C	Refrigerated	Refrigerated	Graded glycerol preservation; no frozen chain.
Bone — fresh osteochondral (OCA)	28 days after procurement	4 °C	4 °C	Refrigerated	A genuine 28-day clock on a high-value graft — the strongest tissue case for dedicated lift.
Bone — fresh-frozen DRY ICE	Per container label; discard 24 h after thaw	−40 to −90 °C	Frozen	Dry ice	Short-term storage above −40 °C is acceptable under 6 months in some systems.
Bone — freeze-dried / lyophilized	Per label; implant or discard 24 h after opening	Ambient — do not freeze	Ambient	Ambient — no refrigerant	Freezing risks seal integrity.
Tendon / ligament — fresh-frozen DRY ICE	Per label; discard 24 h after thaw	−40 to −90 °C	Frozen	Dry ice only	Labeling is explicit that dry ice is the only accepted refrigerant.
Amnion — cryopreserved	2 years	−80 °C, ceiling +4 °C	Temperature-controlled	Temperature-controlled shipper	The +4 °C ceiling means a refrigerated chain satisfies the labeling.
Amnion — dehydrated	Up to 4 years	0–38 °C ambient	Ambient	Ambient — no refrigerant	Shelf-stable; ordinary cargo.
Nerve — decellularized allograft DRY ICE	36 months	≤ −40 °C	≈ −78.5 °C	Dry ice	Labeling states the graft is shipped on dry ice and supplied frozen. Now a licensed biologic.
Pericardium — solvent-dehydrated	Per label	Defers to implant label	Ambient	Ambient	Labeling specifies shipment at ambient temperature by expedited methods.
Pericardium — photo-oxidized (bovine)	Minimum 1 year	5–25 °C	Controlled ambient	Controlled ambient	Carries a low-temperature freeze indicator — dry ice would void the product.
Cellular
CAR-T finished product	Infuse within 30 min – 3 h of thaw, product-specific	≤ −120 to −150 °C vapor-phase LN2	≤ −130 to −150 °C	LN2 dry shipper	No CAR-T product in this dataset ships on dry ice. LN2 dry shippers are unregulated when no free liquid is present.
Cord blood (HPC, Cord Blood)	Post-thaw 1–4 h, product-specific	≤ −150 °C	≤ −150 °C	LN2 dry shipper	Steel canister in an LN2-charged tank or foam sleeve.
Islet cell product	6 h from product release	15–25 °C	15–25 °C	Insulated cooler — ambient	Ambient shipment; the tightest clock in the cellular category.
HPC — marrow / apheresis, fresh	Not published	Not published	Not published	Hand-carried courier	The donor registry model uses hand-carried couriers as airline carry-on. There is no vendor slot for a charter operator.
Blood products
Whole Blood (ACD / CPD / CP2D)	21 days from collection	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel	Transport temperatures under 21 CFR 600.15 are wider than storage temperatures — 4 degrees of headroom.
Whole Blood (CPDA-1)	35 days	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel
Red Blood Cells — additive solution	42 days	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel	AS-1, AS-3, AS-5 and AS-7 systems.
Red Blood Cells — irradiated	28 days from irradiation, or original dating if shorter	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel
Red Blood Cells — open system	24 h after entering the bag	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel	Deglycerolized or washed product entered in an open system.
Red Blood Cells — frozen (glycerolized) DRY ICE	10 years from collection	−65 °C or colder	−65 °C or colder	Dry ice or LN2	Deglycerolization restarts the 24 h / 14 d clocks.
Platelets	5 days at 20–24 °C	20–24 °C	Label-driven	Ambient / validated shipper	Seven-day dating requires both an FDA-cleared 7-day container and a cleared bacterial detection device.
Cold-stored platelets	Up to 14 days from collection	1–6 °C continuously	Label-driven	Refrigerated	Apheresis only, under an FDA alternative procedure; agitation is optional.
Fresh Frozen Plasma DRY ICE	1 year from collection	−18 °C or colder	−18 °C or colder	Dry ice	Into the freezer within 8 h of collection. Post-thaw hold is 1–6 °C for 24 h.
PF24 / PF24RT24 DRY ICE	1 year	−18 °C or colder	−18 °C or colder	Dry ice
Cryoprecipitated AHF DRY ICE	1 year from collection of source blood	−18 °C or colder	−18 °C or colder	Dry ice	Into the freezer within 1 h of removal from the refrigerated centrifuge.
Plasma Cryoprecipitate Reduced DRY ICE	1 year frozen	−18 °C or colder	−18 °C or colder	Dry ice
Liquid Plasma	5 days past the Whole Blood dating period	1–6 °C	1–10 °C	Wet ice / gel
Thawed Plasma	5 days total at 1–6 °C	1–6 °C	Not specified in 600.15	Wet ice / gel	This dating exists through labeling, not through a dedicated CFR row.
Source Plasma — frozen DRY ICE	10 years	−20 °C or colder	−5 °C or colder	Dry ice	Storage and shipping specifications differ in the federal text and cannot be reconciled into one number — carry both.

Product

Viability window

Storage

Transport

Ships on

Notes

Organs

Heart

6 h (OPTN)

4–8 °C

Static cold storage / controlled hypothermic

FDA device labeling reads “up to 4 hours.” Machine perfusion is used clinically beyond that; no authority states an absolute maximum.

Lung

6 h (OPTN); 2–6 h (UNOS)

0–4 °C ice

0–4 °C; 10 °C controlled

Static cold storage / controlled hypothermic

Static-storage ceiling commonly cited at 8 h. 10 °C storage has been validated to 24 h in peer-reviewed work; quote the conservative figure.

Liver

12 h (OPTN)

0–4 °C

Static cold storage; machine perfusion

Machine-perfusion devices are large — one common unit is roughly 209 lb and 21 cu ft, which exceeds this aircraft's practical envelope.

Kidney — static cold storage

36 h (OPTN)

2–8 °C

Static cold storage

The least time-critical organ class. 36 h is the practical wall in the literature; clean window is far shorter.

Kidney — machine perfusion

24 h (FDA device maximum)

4–8 °C / 2–10 °C

4–8 °C

Hypothermic machine perfusion

Device-labeled maximum, not a regulatory limit.

Pancreas

12 h (OPTN)

~4 °C

Static cold storage

No official maximum. Graft-failure risk rises materially past 12 h.

Intestine

12 h (OPTN)

Not published

Static cold storage

Preservation injury is described within 12 h; bacterial translocation rises sharply past about 9 h.

Uterus

Deceased-donor median ~5.5 h

4 °C

Static cold storage

No definable human threshold in the literature.

VCA — hand / face

Median ~6 h

Not published

Static cold storage

Skeletal muscle is the binding constraint at under 2 h warm ischemia — tighter than any solid organ.

Tissue

Cornea — hypothermic media

14 days

2–8 °C

≤8 °C

Wet ice, insulated

Optisol-GS, Life4C, Kerasave, Xtra4, Cornisol all label 14 days.

Cornea — organ culture (EU)

28–30 days

~31 °C

Ambient

Ambient — no ice

Active-metabolism storage. Not a US practice.

Sclera — sterile

~2 years

2–30 °C — do not freeze

Ambient

Gamma-irradiated, supplied in saline.

Heart valve — cryopreserved DRY ICE

Up to 5 years

Below −150 °C

−150 °C or −76 °C

LN2 dry shipper or dry ice

Where dry ice is used this becomes a UN1845 Class 9 shipment.

Skin — fresh / viable

Under ~5 days (metabolic decline)

+2 to +10 °C

Refrigerated / wet ice

No published maximum retrieved; evidence is metabolic, not a labeled limit.

Skin — cryopreserved DRY ICE

2 years at −80 °C

−80 °C / −40 to −80 °C

Frozen

Dry ice

Instructions for use direct removal of the envelope from dry ice on receipt.

Skin — glycerol-preserved

Up to 5 years

+2 to +10 °C

Refrigerated

Graded glycerol preservation; no frozen chain.

Bone — fresh osteochondral (OCA)

28 days after procurement

4 °C

Refrigerated

A genuine 28-day clock on a high-value graft — the strongest tissue case for dedicated lift.

Bone — fresh-frozen DRY ICE

Per container label; discard 24 h after thaw

−40 to −90 °C

Frozen

Dry ice

Short-term storage above −40 °C is acceptable under 6 months in some systems.

Bone — freeze-dried / lyophilized

Per label; implant or discard 24 h after opening

Ambient — do not freeze

Ambient

Ambient — no refrigerant

Freezing risks seal integrity.

Tendon / ligament — fresh-frozen DRY ICE

Per label; discard 24 h after thaw

−40 to −90 °C

Frozen

Dry ice only

Labeling is explicit that dry ice is the only accepted refrigerant.

Amnion — cryopreserved

2 years

−80 °C, ceiling +4 °C

Temperature-controlled

Temperature-controlled shipper

The +4 °C ceiling means a refrigerated chain satisfies the labeling.

Amnion — dehydrated

Up to 4 years

0–38 °C ambient

Ambient

Ambient — no refrigerant

Shelf-stable; ordinary cargo.

Nerve — decellularized allograft DRY ICE

36 months

≤ −40 °C

≈ −78.5 °C

Dry ice

Labeling states the graft is shipped on dry ice and supplied frozen. Now a licensed biologic.

Pericardium — solvent-dehydrated

Per label

Defers to implant label

Ambient

Labeling specifies shipment at ambient temperature by expedited methods.

Pericardium — photo-oxidized (bovine)

Minimum 1 year

5–25 °C

Controlled ambient

Carries a low-temperature freeze indicator — dry ice would void the product.

Cellular

CAR-T finished product

Infuse within 30 min – 3 h of thaw, product-specific

≤ −120 to −150 °C vapor-phase LN2

≤ −130 to −150 °C

LN2 dry shipper

No CAR-T product in this dataset ships on dry ice. LN2 dry shippers are unregulated when no free liquid is present.

Cord blood (HPC, Cord Blood)

Post-thaw 1–4 h, product-specific

≤ −150 °C

LN2 dry shipper

Steel canister in an LN2-charged tank or foam sleeve.

Islet cell product

6 h from product release

15–25 °C

Insulated cooler — ambient

Ambient shipment; the tightest clock in the cellular category.

HPC — marrow / apheresis, fresh

Not published

Hand-carried courier

The donor registry model uses hand-carried couriers as airline carry-on. There is no vendor slot for a charter operator.

Blood products

Whole Blood (ACD / CPD / CP2D)

21 days from collection

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

Transport temperatures under 21 CFR 600.15 are wider than storage temperatures — 4 degrees of headroom.

Whole Blood (CPDA-1)

35 days

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

Red Blood Cells — additive solution

42 days

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

AS-1, AS-3, AS-5 and AS-7 systems.

Red Blood Cells — irradiated

28 days from irradiation, or original dating if shorter

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

Red Blood Cells — open system

24 h after entering the bag

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

Deglycerolized or washed product entered in an open system.

Red Blood Cells — frozen (glycerolized) DRY ICE

10 years from collection

−65 °C or colder

Dry ice or LN2

Deglycerolization restarts the 24 h / 14 d clocks.

Platelets

5 days at 20–24 °C

20–24 °C

Label-driven

Ambient / validated shipper

Seven-day dating requires both an FDA-cleared 7-day container and a cleared bacterial detection device.

Cold-stored platelets

Up to 14 days from collection

1–6 °C continuously

Label-driven

Refrigerated

Apheresis only, under an FDA alternative procedure; agitation is optional.

Fresh Frozen Plasma DRY ICE

1 year from collection

−18 °C or colder

Dry ice

Into the freezer within 8 h of collection. Post-thaw hold is 1–6 °C for 24 h.

PF24 / PF24RT24 DRY ICE

1 year

−18 °C or colder

Dry ice

Cryoprecipitated AHF DRY ICE

1 year from collection of source blood

−18 °C or colder

Dry ice

Into the freezer within 1 h of removal from the refrigerated centrifuge.

Plasma Cryoprecipitate Reduced DRY ICE

1 year frozen

−18 °C or colder

Dry ice

Liquid Plasma

5 days past the Whole Blood dating period

1–6 °C

1–10 °C

Wet ice / gel

Thawed Plasma

5 days total at 1–6 °C

1–6 °C

Not specified in 600.15

Wet ice / gel

This dating exists through labeling, not through a dedicated CFR row.

Source Plasma — frozen DRY ICE

10 years

−20 °C or colder

−5 °C or colder

Dry ice

Storage and shipping specifications differ in the federal text and cannot be reconciled into one number — carry both.

What this is. A transport-planning reference compiled from published federal regulation, official allocation-body guidance, FDA product labeling and the peer-reviewed literature. Where sources disagree, the conservative figure is shown. Where no authoritative figure could be found, the cell says so rather than carrying an estimate.

What this is not. It is not clinical guidance, not a preservation protocol, and not a representation that AeroAcumen will accept any particular product. Product labeling and your own quality system govern. Confirm every figure against current labeling and your program's protocol before relying on it.

The one regulatory line worth memorizing

Liquid red-cell products are stored at 1–6 °C but may be shipped at 1–10 °C — four degrees of headroom that storage specifications do not give you. 21 CFR §600.15

That headroom is what makes a validated shipper practical on a regional leg. Keep storage and transport temperatures in separate columns of your own paperwork; conflating them is the most common cause of a shipment being rejected on arrival.

See how we handle this cargo →

Organ & tissue viability reference

Every chain in this table is one we're certificated to fly.

1 · No federal maximum

2 · Official numbers are the conservative ones

3 · Dry ice splits fresh from frozen

4 · Liquid nitrogen is not dry ice

How to use this — and how not to.

The one regulatory line worth memorizing

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