Abstract: A crystallizable, purified chondroitinase ABC having a molecular weight of about 100,000 dalton by the measurement of the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and the measurement by the gel permeation chromatography method, having alanine as the N-terminal amino acid and proline as the C-terminal amino acid. A process for the purification of the crystallizable purified chondroitinase ABC comprising removing nucleic acid from an surfactant solution extract obtained from cells of chondroitinase ABC-producing microorganisms and chromatographically treating by concentration gradient elution using a weak cation exchange resin or a strong cation exchange resin. A composition comprising a chondroitinase and serum albumin, gelatin, or a nonionic surfactant. The chondroitinase ABC is isolated from Proteus vulgaris ATCC 6896.

Abstract: A cartridge-type syringe in which a cartridge, having liquid medicine or the like sealed therein, is inserted in a holder having a discharge needle at its distal end, and the cartridge is advanced to cause the discharge needle to pierce it, thereby injecting the liquid medicine or the like into an object, and when a piston rod of the cartridge is pushed to cause the discharge needle to pierce, the liquid medicine or the like will not be discharged in error in a large amount.In particular there is provided a releaseable lock mechanism by which when a piston rod 15 is pushed, the piston rod 15 advances together with a tubular body 11 of a cartridge 10 without moving a piston 14 within the tubular body 11.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing limulus amoebocyte lysate substantially free from factor G which comprises bringing limulus amoebocyte lysate into contact with an insoluble carrier on which a (1.fwdarw.3)-.beta.-D-glucoside structural portion represented by the following formula [I] produced by depolymerizing and/or fractionating a carbohydrate chain is immobilized: ##STR1## wherein n represents an integer of 2 to 370.

Abstract: A reagent denatures or eliminates factors interfering with biochemical reactions by simple treatment without requiring separation of any denatured product precipitate. The reagent makes it possible to assay, in particular, .beta.-glucan and endotoxin in blood-derived samples rapidly and efficiently with high sensitivity. The reagent includes a hexadimethrine compound and an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkali metal hydroxide as a main component. A method for assaying a substance specifically reacting with a Limulus reagent utilizing the reagent, an assay kit including at least the reagent and a Limulus reagent, and a method of diagnosing infectious diseases based on the results obtained by the assay method are also provided.

Abstract: 2-Aminopyridine derivatives having a bifunctional or unifunctional structure and capable of serving as reactants in synthetically converting organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids or polymer resins, to desired conjugated structures suited for various purposes and detectable by fluorescence spectrometry with high sensitivity, a fluorescent labeling agent comprising the same, and methods of their production are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems in conventional methods of assaying an endotoxin in a specimen such as plasma or serum by the limulus test, which requires a complicated pretreatment procedure such as centrifugation for removing denatured precipitates formed with an acid treatment. According to the assay method of the present invention, an endotoxin adsorbed by proteins, lipids and platelets can be efficiently liberated simply by adding a mixed aqueous solution having a specific composition according to the present invention without any separation procedure and thus a sample solution of good qualities can be prepared. After adding the mixed aqueous solution containing a specific surfactant, a compound having an imidazolyl group or an amino group and an alkaline earth metal salt and an alkaline metal hydroxide to the specimen, followed by addition of the limulus amoebocyte lysate components, the endotoxin can be easily, quickly and precisely assayed.