Patent ID: 8372637

Claim:
A method of stabilizing cells and biomolecules present in a biological sample, having the following steps: (a) providing a biological sample comprising cells and biomolecules; (b) contacting the biological sample with a composition having a preserving substance according to the following structural formula: in which R1 is a hydrogen residue or a methyl residue, R2 and R3 are identical or different hydrocarbon residues with a length of the carbon chain of 1-20, and R4 is an oxygen, sulfur or selenium atom, to produce a mixture, wherein stabilization of the biological sample in the mixture occurs without fixation or crosslinking of the biomolecules, wherein the preserving substance is the only preserving substance in the composition and wherein decomposition, modification, induction or change of activity of the biomolecules in the mixture is inhibited, and wherein the preserving substance is the only preserving substance in the mixture.