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Studies on the transport of exogenous and endogenous cholesterol in the baboon have been carried out using(14)C-acetate,(14)C-mevalonic acid, or(3)H-cholesterol. The results suggest the following characteristics of cholesterol metabolism in the baboon: the serum alpha- and beta-lipoproteins show no preference in the transport of exogenous or endogenous cholesterol; the half-life (t(1/2)) of disappearance of cholesterol from the whole animal varied between 31 and 50 days; the daily rate of whole body cholesterol biosynthesis in the baboon (47 mg/kg/day) is comparable with that rate observed in the human being (18-41 mg/kg/day); after administration of(14)C-acetate,(14)C-mevalonic acid, or(3)H-cholesterol to baboons, newly synthesized cholesterol esters appear to be incorporated to a greater extent into the serum alpha-lipoproteins.