In vivo detection of membrane injury at freezing temperatures.

The release of hydrogen cyanide from Amelanchier alnifolia was monitored at 30 C and -10 C following lethal freezing at both slow and fast rates. Assuming that hydrogen cyanide release indicates membrane damage, it was concluded that during a fatal freeze-thaw cycle membrane damage occurred during cell contraction and, therefore, was not dependent upon membrane area expansion during thawing.