Abstract:

Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) has high economic and scientific values, and its blood extract, tachypleus amebocyte lysate (TAL), is widely used in pharmaceutical industry for endotoxin detection. As an emerging industry, TAL industry in China is not optimistic, facing many crucial problems such as lack of basic research, inadequate availability raw material (Chinese horseshoe crab) and so on. This paper summarizes typical TAL production techniques, current situation of TAL industry and the main problems which block its development. Relevant suggestions are also provided.

Key words: Chinese horseshoe crab, tachypleus amebocyte lysate, status, strategies, conservation