Primates--requirements by the pharmaceutical industry.

The use of primate animals by the pharmaceutical industry, emphasizing the species and number employed in the production and testing of biologics, is reviewed. The impact of the embargoes imposed by the resource countries is discussed, as well as the alternatives to the use of primates that are available to the pharmaceutical manufacturer. The paper concludes by considering the likely long-term effect of the curtailment of the supply of nonhuman primates from feral sources.

Concanavalin A (NSC-143504): its action on experimental tumor cells and possible use in cancer chemotherapy.

Concanavalin A administered to mice kills KHT fibrosarcoma tumor cells and, less markedly, AKR lymphoma cells at doses where it has no effect on numbers of normal hematopoietic colony-forming cells. Concanavalin A in vitro agglutinates suspensions of cells prepared from murine and human tumors but does not agglutinate suspensions prepared from most normal mouse tissues. In spite of its selective action against tumor cells at the cellular level, the possibilities for using concanavalin A therapeutically are limited by its unusual toxicity, a generalized vasculitis that is seen in the mouse, monkey, and pig at approximately the same dose level.

Establishment of a salmonella-free Guinea pig colony.

Salmonellosis due to Salmonella typhimurium was enzootic in a guinea pig breeding colony for over 25 years. A Salmonella-free auxiliary colony was established by removing weanlings from the infected colony to a clean area, and preventing infection. Examination of agglutinin titers and necropsy specimens indicated that the auxiliary colony was still free from Salmonella 18 months after its establishment while 24% of the guinea pigs dying in the infected colony yielded Salmonella typhimurium.