Immunohistochemical interaction on antisera to HCG and its subunits with chorionic tissue of early gestation.

Immunohistochemical localization of hCG and its subunits in chorionic tissue of early gestation was carried out. Antibodies to purified hCG and its subunits were obtained by using these agents for immunization according to the small doses method. The antibody titers and specificities were examined by B/T and standard curves in homologous radioimmunoassay system. The tissue preparations were stained both by a direct and by an indirect method utilizing these antisera and observing the specimens under a fluorescent microscope. The results were as follows. 1) With the anti-hCG staining, fluorescence was observed in the syncytiotrophoblasts as reported previously while the cytotrophoblast were stained slightly. 2) with the anti-hCG-beta staining, the fluorescence was almost identical with that of hCG and showed a more distinct pattern. 3) with the anti-hCG-alpha staining, the fluorescence was found both in the syncytio- and cytotrophoblasts concurrently. Fluorescence of the latter cells was recognized as due to free alpha-subunit because cytotrophoblast was scarcely stained with anti-hCG and anti-hCG-beta.     

Effects of intrafollicular administration of gonadotropins in two species of nonhuman primates using laparoscopy.

Direct administration of 0.5 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) into the matured ovarian follicles of adult female Saimiri sciureus resulted in ovulation in 45% of the animals treated. When purified ovine luteinizing hormone (LH) was administered, ovulation was observed in 55% of the animals while intrafollicular injection of saline had no effect. Similar injections of HCG into matured follicles of Macaca fascicularis would not cause ovulation but did result in a 55% increase in menstrual cycle length. These results indicate that the necessity of a primate source of LH for inducing ovulation may be due to an extrafollicular mechanism.     

Antigenic similarities among estuarine soft-bottom benthic taxa

Summary Antisera prepared against whole-organism extracts of benthic invertebrates from Puget Sound, Washington, and North Inlet, South Carolina, were tested for specificity with extracts from both coasts. Immunological similarities among taxa reflected conventional phylogenetic relationships both within each of these areas and also between both areas. Antisera also cross-reacted with extracts to a lesser degree at higher taxonomic levels. The existence of common antigens among phylogenetically related taxa makes feasible the use of serological methods to document trophic interactions in environments where it is difficult to obtain sufficient material to serve as immunogen for production of highly specific antisera. Deep-sea or other high diversity food webs may be investigated using serological methods that are already well-developed for use in terrestrial and shallow-water environments.Contribution No. 423 from the Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research and the Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA     

Craniodental variation among Macaques (Macaca), nonhuman primates

Background  

In terms of structure and function, the skull is one of the most complicated organs in the body. It is also one of the most important parts in terms of developmental and evolutionary origins. This complexity makes it difficult to obtain evolutionary assessments if, as is usually the case with fossils, only part of the skull is available. For this reason this study involves a set of comparisons whereby the smallest functional units are studied first, and these built up, through a triple-nested hierarchical design, into more complex anatomical regions and eventually into the skull-as-a-whole. This design has been applied to macaques (Macaca) in order to reveal patterns of variation at the different levels. The profiles of such variation have been obtained both within and between species. This has lead to a search for the skull parts that have undergone similar selection pressures during evolution and comparable development patterns in both ontogeny and phylogeny.     

Intrauterine infections in nonhuman primates.

Gross and histologic examination of five nonhuman primate placentas revealed inflammatory processes, either of the ascending type, with chorioamnionitis and fetal vasculitis, or of the hematogenous type with villitis. These reactions were similar to those occurring in man, with known implications for perinatal outcome.     

Genital Ureaplasmas in nonhuman primates.

Ureaplasmas were isolated from the genital tracts of four of 22 (18.4%) male chimpanzees and eight of 23 (34.8%) female chimpanzees. Twenty-nine female rhesus monkeys, 38 female baboons, one gibbon, and black ape and one Java monkey were shown to be free of genital Ureaplasmas. The rate of reproductive failure among the chimpanzees was high and it is suggested that Ureaplasma may be responsible in part. The chimpanzee may serve as a useful model for human Ureaplasma genital infections.     

Sociophysiology of well-being in nonhuman primates.

Knowledge of neuroendocrine responsiveness can provide insights into the social and physical conditions that promote well-being in captive primates. Activity and reactivity of stress response systems provide information regarding the degree to which animals are prepared for motoric expression, the kinds of situations that lead to mobilization of resources, and susceptibility to common clinical disorders. Social relationships can alter activity and reactivity of stress response systems. In some instances, social relationships can influence well-being by increasing or decreasing stress responsiveness. Other types of social relationships can influence well-being by altering homeostatic processes that regulate activity and reactivity of neuroendocrine systems. When the breadth of social and physiologic processes is considered, sociophysiologic contributions to well-being are more pervasive than has hitherto been considered.     

Genetic management of nonhuman primates

Genetic management is widely recognized as a critical component of the overall management of captive nonhuman primate colonies which produce animals for biomedical research. In this paper, we review the roles of conservation-oriented genetic management, research-oriented genetic management, genetic management at the level of taxomomic class, genetic management at the level of the population, and quantitative genetic analysis in comprehensive genetic management programs for nonhuman primate colonies. We conclude that genetic management is crucial for maintaining nonhuman primate populations suitable for genetic research on normal and disease-related phenotypes. In addition, for research programs that do not have specific genetic objectives, genetic management is essential to facilitate the selection of samples of well-matched unrelated animals for experimental purposes.     

Chemical and physical restraint of nonhuman primates.

Numerous publications on primate restraint and anesthesiology have appeared in recent years. This reflects the striking growth of interest in medical primatology and of efforts to improve restraint agents and methods to facilitate humane use of primates in research. For access to earlier literature, readers should consult recent textbooks [12; 29, pp. 469--474], reviews on chemical or physical restraint [3, 4, 16, 27, 30, 37], and other valuable publications on these subjects that have appeared since 1965 [1, 20, 23, 36, 40, 42]. In this brief review we consider publications, principally since 1971, that deal with chemical or physical restraint. We also present previously unpublished data on the clinical use in primates of CI 744 (Telazol), a new dissociative anesthetic that until recently has been available only for investigational use.     

Localization of inhibin/activin subunits in the testis of adult nonhuman primates and men

The localization and distribution of inhibin/activin subunits was evaluated in the testes of three nonhuman primate species (Macaca fascicularis, M. mulatta, M. arctoides), of young (31 to 43 years) and old (60 to 85 years) men, and of men with disturbed or arrested spermatogenesis using immunohistochemical techniques (peroxidase-anti-peroxidase and alkaline-phosphatase/ anti-alkaline-phosphatase technique). Specific polyclonal (anti-porcine inhibin -1-32 and anti-bovine activin A) and monoclonal (anti-human inhibin -1-32 and anti-human activin A-82-114) antisera were employed. Among all nonhuman primate species and in men, inhibin/activin subunits were present in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells and Leydig cells but not in germ cells. No relationship could be established between the staining pattern for inhibin/activin subunits and the completeness or the stage of the spermatogenic process. The staining for the A-subunit in Sertoli cells appeared more intense in the testes of old men compared with that of young men. The majority of Leydig cells contained either the -subunit and A-subunit or the A-subunit alone. The signal for the A-subunit was remarkably intense in normal and hyperplastic human Leydig cells. These observations demonstrate the presence of inhibin/activin subunits in Sertoli cells and Leydig cells of adult primates and raise the possibility that these subunits or their respective dimers (inhibin A/activin A) might subserve a paracrine/ autocrine role in the adult primate testis. Also, the possibility of specific differences in the -1-32 subunit and the A-82-114 subunit region among certain primate species arises from the observation that the monoclonal antisera failed to detect the respective antigens in M. fascicularis and M. mulatta.     

Root canal procedure for disarming nonhuman primates.

Nonhuman primates were disarmed by shortening their canine teeth. These teeth were cut off near the gingival level, the entire pulpal tissue removed and the canal filled with a formulated paste which was radiopaque, adhesive and germicidal. The teeth were sealed with a commercial alloy. This endodontic procedure was a quick, practical one-step method for permanently disarming nonhuman primates.     

New approaches to tuberculosis surveillance in nonhuman primates

Despite significant progress in reducing the incidence of tuberculosis in nonhuman primates (NHPs) maintained in captivity, outbreaks continue to occur in established colonies, with potential serious consequences in human exposures, animal losses, disruption of research, and costs related to disease control efforts. The intradermal tuberculin skin test (TST) using mammalian old tuberculin (MOT) has been the mainstay of NHP tuberculosis surveillance and antemortem diagnosis for more than 60 years. But limitations of the TST, particularly its inability to reliably identify animals with latent TB infections, make it unsuitable for use as a single, standalone test for TB surveillance in nonhuman primates in the 21st century. Advances in technology and the availability of Mycobacterium spp. genomic sequence data have facilitated the development and evaluation of new immune-based screening assays as possible adjuncts and alternatives to the TST, including in vitro whole blood assays that measure the release of interferon gamma in response to stimulation with tuberculin or specific mycobacterial antigens, and assays that detect antibodies to highly immunogenic secreted proteins unique to M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and other species belonging to the M. tuberculosis complex. It is becoming apparent that no single screening test will meet all the requirements for surveillance and diagnosis of tuberculosis in nonhuman primates. Instead, the use of several tests in combination can increase the overall sensitivity and specificity of screening and surveillance programs and likely represents the future of TB testing in nonhuman primates. In this article we describe the characteristics of these newer screening tests and discuss their potential contributions to NHP tuberculosis surveillance programs.