Chondroitin sulfate, a type of acid mucopolysaccharide possessing a variety of bioactivities, has attracted tremendous interest due to its use in the relief of joint diseases. It has been widely applied in different fields, such as medicine, biotechnology, pharmacy, textiles, food and cosmetics. This mini-review focuses on the main methods of its extraction and purification, and recent advances in bio-syntheses and chemical synthesis of such molecules. In addition, further studies in these aspects are proposed based on current research. (c) 2014 Society of Chemical Industry