Horseshoe Crab Blood Replacement at Julia Kromer blog

Horseshoe Crab Blood Replacement. Since the blood harvesting results in so many horseshoe crabs dying, researchers have been exploring alternative methods. Horseshoe crab blood is used to produce a substance called limulus amebocyte lysate, or lal, which scientists use to test for toxic substances called endotoxins in intravenous drugs. Pharmeceutical companies could soon have easier access to synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, a key ingredient used to test vaccines and medical devices for contamination. One promising new technology is gene editing, which could offer a solution. Producing lal requires harvesting horseshoe crabs from oceans and beaches, draining up to 30% of their blood in a laboratory and returning the live crabs to the ocean. Discussions about replacements for horseshoe crab blood would be better to frame themselves in terms of how they are restructuring the harm. The bleeding of live horseshoe crabs, a process that leaves thousands dead annually, is an ecologically unsustainable. For decades, horseshoe crabs (limulidae) have been bled en masse to produce lal, which is used to detect bacterial endotoxin. New technology could replace this method.

The bleeding of live horseshoe crabs, a process that leaves thousands dead annually, is an ecologically unsustainable. Horseshoe crab blood is used to produce a substance called limulus amebocyte lysate, or lal, which scientists use to test for toxic substances called endotoxins in intravenous drugs. Pharmeceutical companies could soon have easier access to synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, a key ingredient used to test vaccines and medical devices for contamination. Since the blood harvesting results in so many horseshoe crabs dying, researchers have been exploring alternative methods. One promising new technology is gene editing, which could offer a solution. Discussions about replacements for horseshoe crab blood would be better to frame themselves in terms of how they are restructuring the harm. New technology could replace this method. Producing lal requires harvesting horseshoe crabs from oceans and beaches, draining up to 30% of their blood in a laboratory and returning the live crabs to the ocean. For decades, horseshoe crabs (limulidae) have been bled en masse to produce lal, which is used to detect bacterial endotoxin.

Horseshoe crab blood needed for medicine, but a declining bird relies

Horseshoe Crab Blood Replacement The bleeding of live horseshoe crabs, a process that leaves thousands dead annually, is an ecologically unsustainable. For decades, horseshoe crabs (limulidae) have been bled en masse to produce lal, which is used to detect bacterial endotoxin. One promising new technology is gene editing, which could offer a solution. Pharmeceutical companies could soon have easier access to synthetic alternatives to horseshoe crab blood, a key ingredient used to test vaccines and medical devices for contamination. Discussions about replacements for horseshoe crab blood would be better to frame themselves in terms of how they are restructuring the harm. The bleeding of live horseshoe crabs, a process that leaves thousands dead annually, is an ecologically unsustainable. Since the blood harvesting results in so many horseshoe crabs dying, researchers have been exploring alternative methods. Horseshoe crab blood is used to produce a substance called limulus amebocyte lysate, or lal, which scientists use to test for toxic substances called endotoxins in intravenous drugs. New technology could replace this method. Producing lal requires harvesting horseshoe crabs from oceans and beaches, draining up to 30% of their blood in a laboratory and returning the live crabs to the ocean.