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Scientists studying the biology of congenitally deformed individuals recount their careers in the field; and review the literature on such aspects as substance abuse, the epidemiology in Hungary, intergenerational factors, and possible thresholds for developmental toxicants. Annotation copyright Boo

Functions of polymorphonuclear leukocytes including chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and microbial killing were investigated in baboons (Papio cynocephalus), cebus monkeys (Cebus apella), and marmosets (Saguinus oedipus). Cells from a group of normal adult human volunteers were also studied for comparison. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from the three nonhuman primate species were comparable to each other and to humans in chemotactic activity using endotoxin activated serum. In addition, the ability of blood leukocytes to ingest and kill microorganisms was investigated using a new fluorochrome microassay. Leukocytes of all non-human primates were competent in phagocytosing bacteria, but leukocytes from cebus monkeys and marmosets ingested candida organisms poorly. Compared to humans, all nonhuman primates exhibited poor killing of the microbes.

The squirrel monkey, as do other animals, reacts to an antigenic stimulus with an immunological response and, if the stimulus is sufficiently severe or not immunologically controlled, with pathology. It must be assumed, until information to the contrary is provided, that the immunological and pathological responses of all Saimiri would probably be similar. To avoid confusion in taxonomy, the squirrel monkey will be considered as a single species, i.e., Saimiri sciureus, without any attempt to differentiate the subspecies.

The uses and advantages of genetically homogeneous lines of animals in teratological studies have not to my knowledge been fully explored in print previously. To discuss this question fruitfully it is necessary to remember that, like the phenomena teratologists explore, the purposes of teratological studies are many and varied. The means of attaining these purposes must therefore also be diverse.

Of the viruses affecting human and nonhuman primates, the herpesviruses are probably of greatest interest and concern. As a family, the Herpesviridae are one of the most universally distributed of the mammalian viruses, found in both warm and cold blooded animals as well as in plants and invertebrates. Clinically, the herpesviruses are responsible for a diversity of host responses including common cold sores (gingivostomatitis), neurologic disease, exanthemata such as varicella — chicken pox/zoster (shingles) — and atopic eczema, cytomegalovirus disease of the newborn, oncogenic disease in poultry and primates, keratoconjunctivitis, genital herpes, hepatoadrenal necrosis, hepatitis, respiratory disease, and various nonspecific syndromes. Latent infection may be one of the most important attributes of the herpesviruses.

Characterization of hormonal regulation of prostatic cancer cell growth has been limited. Although a number of human prostate cancer cell lines have been described (1–3) and at least one spontaneously derived rat prostate cancer cell line has also been described (4), these cells were not useful for studies of hormonal regulation of prostate cancer because they were unresponsive to changes in hormonal milieu (1–4). Transplantable prostatic adenocarcinomas have been described in four breeds of rats (5–9). Androgen responsiveness has been established for certain of the Copenhagen and Nb rat tumors (8–10), is indicated for the AXC rat tumors (7), and apparently is absent in Lobund Wistar rat tumors (4,6). Initial biochemical characterization of the AXC and Copenhagen rat transplantable tumors has been reported (7,10,11).

The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), defined by the Center for Disease Control as the presence of either Kaposi’s sarcoma or opportunistic infection in a high-risk individual such as a homosexual male, Haitian, drug abuser, or hemophiliac [1], reached epidemic levels in certain areas of the United States in 1981. Doll and List [2] and Ziegler [3] described the first cases of lymphomas occurring in immunosuppressed homosexual males. By 1983, it became apparent that this population had a greater than expected incidence of central nervous system (NCS) lymphoma and, consequently, the presence of primary CNS lymphoma was incorporated into the definition of AIDS [1]. Since 1980, we have seen 15 homosexual males with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, six of whom had CNS involvement.

Teratology is the discipline dealing with the causes and the development of congenital malformations. As used here, congenital malformations are gross structural anomalies of prenatal origin. In the widest sense, teratogens include endogenous factors (i.e., point mutations or chromosomal aberrations) as well as exogenous agents. There has been a tendency to forget these facts, as teratology has come to be associated with “environment,” whereas properly it should carry no such connotation.