DIRECTORS STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT AND GRANT


          THIS STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT (this  "Agreement"),  dated as of the 15th
day of May, 1997, (the "Grant Date"),  by, between and among  CRYOLIFE,  INC., a
Florida Corporation (the  "Corporation"),  and RONALD D. McCALL, a member of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation (a "Director") and an individual  residing
in Tampa, Florida (the "Optionee").

                                   WITNESSETH:

          WHEREAS,  the  Corporation  wishes to grant to the  Optionee an option
(the  "Option")  to purchase  the number of shares of Common  Stock set forth in
this Agreement and under the terms and conditions set forth herein including the
provision that the Option is not an incentive  stock option under Section 422 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code");

          NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing,  the mutual promises
and covenants  contained  herein and the mutual benefit to be derived  therefrom
and other good and valuable consideration,  the receipt and sufficiency of which
are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as follows:

          1. Grant of  Option:  Subject  to the terms and  conditions  set forth
herein, the Corporation hereby grants to the Optionee the option to purchase, in
the aggregate, up to 7,000 shares of the Common Stock (the "Shares") which shall
consist of authorized and unissued  shares of the Common Stock or, at the option
of the Corporation,  treasury shares of Common Stock. The Option shall be deemed
granted by the Corporation to the Optionee as of the Grant Date.

          2. Option  Price:  The price of the Option  shall be the last  closing
price of the  Corporation's  Common  Stock on the  NASDAQ/NMS  on the day of the
grant of the Option.  The Option  exercise  price is the sum of $10.25 per share
(the "Option Exercise Price").

          3.  Option  Period:  Subject  to the  limitations  set  forth  in this
Agreement,  the Option shall vest and become  exercisable  on November 17, 1997.
Subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement, the vested portion of an
Option  may be  exercised  at any time  following  the  date on which it  vests,
provided  that at the time of exercise all of the  conditions  set forth in this
Agreement  have been  met.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  no  Option  may be
exercised later than five years after the date of grant thereof.



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          5.  Termination  of Option:  Except as herein  otherwise  stated,  the
Option, to the extent not previously  exercised,  shall terminate upon the first
to occur of the following events:

A.  Cessation of Service:  Upon  cessation of service as a Director (for reasons
other  than  death),  all  Options,  whether or not  exercisable  at the date of
cessation of service,  shall be forfeited by the  Optionee;  provided,  however,
that if an  Optionee  leaves  the Board of  Directors  in "good  standing"  (for
reasons other than death), such Optionee's Options shall remain in effect, vest,
become  exercisable and expire as if the Optionee had remained a Director of the
Company.  Whether or not a Director has left the Board in "good  standing" shall
be  determined  by the Company's  Board of  Directors,  in its sole  discretion;
provided,  however, that any Director who serves out his term but does not stand
for  re-election  at the end  thereof  shall be deemed to have left the Board of
Directors in "good standing".

B.  Death:  Upon  the  death  of a  Director,  only  those  Options  which  were
exercisable  on the  date  of  death  shall  be  exercisable  by  his/her  legal
representatives  or heirs.  Such Options must be exercised  within one year from
date of death or they shall be automatically  forfeited (but in no event may the
Options be exercised  beyond the last date which they could have been  exercised
had the Director not died).

C. Other: Sixty (60) months following the Grant Date.

          6.  Delivery of Notice:  The  Optionee may exercise the Option only by
delivering  written  notice to the  Corporation  of his intent to  exercise  the
Option (the  "Notice").  The Notice shall be delivered to the Corporation at its
principal office at:


                                         1655 Roberts Blvd., N.W.
                                         Kennasaw, Georgia 30144

or such other address as may be designated by the Corporation.  The Notice shall
specify the number of Shares to be purchased in accordance  with this  Agreement
and shall include payment in full of the Option Price.

          7. Payment:  The Option  Exercise  Price shall be paid in cash in U.S.
Dollars at the time the Option is  exercised or in shares of Common Stock of the
Company having an aggregate  value equal to the Option  Exercise  Price.  If the
Option  Exercise  Price is paid by  transfer  of shares  of Common  Stock of the
Corporation then the value

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of such shares will be determined by the last closing price of the Corporation's
Common Stock on the NASDAQ/NMS prior to the exercise of the options.  The Option
Exercise Price may be paid by a combination of cash and Common Stock. The phrase
"shares of stock of the Company", includes shares which the director is entitled
to purchase by reason of a stock option grant, sometimes called "option shares".

          8. Delivery of Shares to Optionee: Upon the Optionee's proper exercise
of the  Option,  the  Corporation  shall  deliver  to the  Optionee  one or more
certificates  evidencing the number of Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise
of the Option and such Shares shall be fully paid and nonassessable.

          9.  Non-Transferability:  The Option shall not be  transferable by the
Optionee other than by Will or by the laws of descent and  distribution  and may
be  exercisable  during the  Optionee's  lifetime only by him or his guardian or
legal representative.

          10. Optionee Not a Shareholder:  The Optionee shall not be deemed,  by
reason of this option  agreement,  for any purposes to be a  shareholder  of the
Corporation  with  respect  to any of the  shares  of the  capital  stock of the
Corporation or with respect to any of the Shares,  except to the extent that the
Option  has  been  exercised,  in  whole  or in  part,  and a stock  certificate
representing  Shares  has been  issued  to the  Optionee.  Notwithstanding  this
provision,  it is understood  and agreed that the  Corporation  and the Optionee
shall make any required disclosure of the "beneficial ownership" of Shares which
may be received upon a future exercise of the Option.

          11. No Restrictions on the Corporation:  The grant of the Option shall
not affect in any way the right or power of the Corporation or its  shareholders
to make or authorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations,
or any other changes in the Corporation's  capital structure or its business, or
any  merger  or  consolidation  of the  Corporation,  or  any  issue  of  bonds,
debentures, preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affecting the Common
Stock, or the rights thereof,  or dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation,
or any sale or  transfer  of all or any part of the  assets or  business  of the
Corporation,  or any other  corporate  act or  proceeding,  whether of a similar
character or otherwise.

          12. Reclassification,  Consolidation,  or Merger: The number of Option
Shares may be  adjusted  by the Board of  Directors  if certain  events  such as
merger, reorganization, consolidation,  recapitalization, stock dividends, stock
splits,  or other changes in the  Company's  corporate  structure  affecting its
Common  Stock  occur.  No  adjustments  or  substitution  provided  for in  this
Subsection,  however,  shall require the  Corporation in any Agreement to sell a
fractional  share, and the total  substitution or adjustment herein is and shall
be limited accordingly.

          13. Optionee's Representations and Warranties: By execution of this

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Agreement, Optionee represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

A.  Investment   Representations  and  Warranties:  The  Optionee  warrants  and
represents to the Corporation that he is acquiring the Option and, upon exercise
of the  Option,  in  whole  or in  part,  the  Shares  for his own  account  for
investment  purposes  and not with a view to  distribution,  as  defined  in the
Securities  Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"),  and the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange  Commission  promulgated  thereunder.
The Optionee  further agrees that he will not sell,  assign,  transfer or pledge
the Option or any of the Shares purchased by him pursuant to the exercise of the
Option,  unless  and  until  either  (i)  a  registration  statement  under  the
Securities Act covering the Shares becomes effective or (ii) the Corporation has
received  an  opinion  of  counsel  in form and  substance  satisfactory  to the
Corporation and its counsel that such sale,  transfer,  assignment or pledge may
be accomplished without registration under the Securities Act.

B. Compliance with Withholding  Rules:  The Corporation  shall have the right to
adopt and apply rules  governing  the exercise of the Option and the issuance of
Shares pursuant  thereto which will ensure that the Corporation  will be able to
comply  with the  applicable  provisions  of any  federal,  state or local  laws
relating to the withholding of taxes.

C. No Tax Advice: The Optionee  understands that neither the Corporation nor any
of its  affiliates,  has given any  advice  regarding  the  federal  income  tax
consequences of (i) the Agreement, or (ii) the grant of the Option, or (iii) the
acquisition of the Shares upon exercise of the Option. The Optionee acknowledges
that he has been encouraged to seek  independent  advice regarding the grant and
the exercise of the Option herein.

          14. Legends: The Corporation shall have the discretion to require that
the  certificates  representing  the  Shares  shall  bear  such  legends  as are
necessary to ensure the  enforceability  of the conditions and  limitations  set
forth herein.


          15. Binding Effect:  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of the parties hereto and their  respective  successors-in-interest.
All parties bound by this Agreement shall take any and all actions  necessary or
appropriate to effectuate the purposes and provisions hereof.

          16. Definition of "Affiliate":  The term "affiliate"  whenever used in
this Agreement,  shall mean a person that, directly or indirectly through one or
more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with
the

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Corporation.

          17.  Amendments and Waivers:  Except as otherwise  provided herein, no
change or  modification  of this Agreement  shall be valid unless the same is in
writing and signed by all the parties hereto. No waiver of any provision of this
Agreement shall be valid unless in writing and signed by the person against whom
it is sought to be enforced. The failure of any party at any time to insist upon
strict  performance of any condition,  promise,  agreement or understanding  set
forth herein shall not be construed as a waiver or  relinquishment  of the right
to insist upon strict performance of the same condition,  promise,  agreement or
understanding at a future time.

          18. Complete  Agreement:  Except as otherwise  provided  herein,  this
Agreement  constitutes  and sets forth all of the final and  complete  promises,
agreements, conditions, understandings, warranties and representations among the
parties  hereto  with  respect to the Option  and the  Shares,  and there are no
promises, agreements, conditions, understandings, warranties or representations,
oral or written,  express or implied, among them with respect to the matters set
forth  herein  other than as set forth  herein as it may be amended from time to
time.

          19.  Extension  of  Time  to  Perform:   Whenever  the  time  for  the
performance of any action or condition  contained in this  Agreement  falls on a
Saturday,  Sunday or legal  holiday,  such time  shall be  extended  to the next
business date.

          20.  Captions and Pronouns:  The captions  contained in this Agreement
are for  convenience  of reference only and shall not in any way modify or limit
the meaning or  interpretation  of this  Agreement.  All terms and words used in
this  Agreement,  regardless  of the  number  and gender in which they are used,
shall be deemed and construed to include any other  number,  singular or plural,
and any other gender, masculine, feminine, or neuter, as the context or sense of
this  Agreement or any section,  paragraph or clause  herein may require,  as if
such words had been fully and  properly  written in the  appropriate  number and
gender.

          21.  Governing Law: This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida.


          22. Counterparts:  Any number of counterparts of this Agreement may be
signed and delivered, and each shall be considered an original and together they
shall constitute one agreement.

          23.  Severability:  This Agreement  shall not be severable in any way,
but if any  provision  should be held to be invalid,  the  invalidity  shall not
effect the validity of the remainder of this Agreement.


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          24. Restricted  Securities:  Optionee  recognizes and understands that
this  option  and the Option  Shares  have not been and may not be in the future
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), the Georgia
Securities  Act of 1973,  as amended  (the  "Georgia  Act"),  or any other state
securities  law. Any transfer of the option (if otherwise  permitted  hereunder,
and once exercised, the Option Shares) will not be recognized by the Corporation
unless such transfer is registered under the Act, the Georgia Act, and any other
applicable state securities laws or effected  pursuant to an exemption from such
registration which may then be available.  Any share  certificates  representing
the Option Shares may be stamped with legends  restricting  transfer  thereof in
accordance with the Corporation's  policy with respect to unregistered shares of
its Common Stock issued as a result of exercise of options.  The Corporation may
make a notation in its stock transfer records of the aforementioned restrictions
on transfers and legends.  Optionee  recognizes and understands  that the Option
Shares may be restricted  securities  within the meaning of Rule 144 promulgated
under the Act; that the exemption  from  registration  under Rule 144 may not be
available under certain circumstances and that Optionee's opportunity to utilize
such  Rule  144 to  sell  the  Option  Shares  may be  limited  or  denied.  The
Corporation shall be under no obligation to maintain or promote a public trading
market  for the class of  shares  for which  the  option is  granted  or to make
provision for adequate information concerning the Corporation to be available to
the public as  contemplated  under Rule 144.  The  Corporation  will be under no
obligation  to recognize  any transfer or sale of any Option  Shares  unless the
terms  and  conditions  of  Rule  144 are  complied  with  by the  Optionee.  By
acceptance hereof,  Optionee agrees that no permitted disposition of this option
or any Option  Shares shall be made unless and until (i) there is then in effect
a registration  statement  under the Act, the Georgia Act, and applicable  state
securities laws covering such proposed  disposition and such disposition is made
in accordance  with such  registration  statement,  or (ii) Optionee  shall have
notified the  Corporation of a proposed  disposition and shall have furnished to
the  Corporation  a detailed  statement of the  circumstances  surrounding  such
disposition,  together  with an  opinion  of  counsel  acceptable  in  form  and
substance to the Corporation that such disposition will not require registration
of the shares so disposed  under the Act, the Georgia  Act,  and any  applicable
state  securities  laws. The Corporation  shall be under no obligation to permit
such transfer or  disposition on its stock transfer books unless counsel for the
Corporation shall concur as to such matters.

          25.  APPLICABLE  TAXES:  No later  than the date as of which an amount
first becomes  includable in the gross income of the Optionee for Federal income
tax purposes with respect to the exercise of the Option,  the Optionee shall pay
to the  Corporation,  or  make  arrangements  satisfactory  to  the  Corporation
regarding  the  payment  of,  any  Federal,  state,  or local  taxes of any kind
required by law to be


448171.1
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withheld with respect to such amount.  The obligations of the Corporation  under
this Agreement shall be conditional  upon such payment or  arrangements  and the
Corporation  shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any
such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to the Optionee.

          IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Corporation has caused this instrument to be
executed by its duly  authorized  officers and the  Optionee  has executed  this
Agreement as of the date and year first above written.

   (SEAL)                                      THE CORPORATION:

                                               CRYOLIFE, INC.



                                               BY STEVEN G. ANDERSON, PRESIDENT
Attest:



Secretary for Corporation

                                               OPTIONEE:



                                               RONALD D. McCALL
                                               (Print name of Optionee)














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