How long can you keep a sample before it is no longer able to be worked with?

Question: How long can you keep a sample before it is no longer able to be worked with?
- Keywords:
  decay,
  organ,
  sample,
  time
Asked by anon-347424 on 3 Feb 2023.
- Kate Barnes answered on 3 Feb 2023:
  
  I can keep samples for a long time, years, and they are still useable but they need to be preserved properly in the first place.
- Prof. W Meier-Augenstein answered on 5 Feb 2023:
  
  This very much depends on the material a samples is composed of. Most sample types can be kept for years without them deteriorating provided they are stored properly. This may include storage protecting samples from exposure to light, air, moisture, and/or at low or very low temperarture.

Question: How long can you keep a sample before it is no longer able to be worked with?