Biological specimen banks: epidemiological tools and scientific enterprises.

In the last twenty years many large epidemiological studies have made efforts to collect material for biological specimen banks. These banks contain samples collected for short or long-term cryopreservation at low (e.g. -70 degrees C) or very low (-192 degrees C). This report describes general guidelines and methodological issues to take into consideration in designing and developing a biological specimen bank and is based on experience of …