Despite recent insights into mucosal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission, the route used by primate lentiviruses to traverse the stratified squamous epithelium of mucosal surfaces remains undefined. To determine if dendritic cells (DC) are used by primate lentiviruses to traverse the epithelial barrier of the genital tract, rhesus macaques were intravaginally exposed to cell-free simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac251. We examined formalin-fixed tissues and HLA-DR ؉ -enriched cell suspensions to identify the cells containing SIV RNA in the genital tract and draining lymph nodes within the first 24 h of infection. Using SIV-specific fluorescent in situ hybridization combined with immunofluorescent antibody labeling of lineagespecific cell markers, numerous SIV RNA ؉ DC were documented in cell suspensions from the vaginal epithelium 18 h after vaginal inoculation. In addition, we determined the minimum time that the SIV inoculum must remain in contact with the genital mucosa for the virus to move from the vaginal lumen into the mucosa. We now show that SIV enters the vaginal mucosa within 60 min of intravaginal exposure, infecting primarily intraepithelial DC and that SIV-infected cells are located in draining lymph nodes within 18 h of intravaginal SIV exposure. The speed with which primate lentiviruses penetrate mucosal surfaces, infect DC, and disseminate to draining lymph nodes poses a serious challenge to HIV vaccine development.

A tumor cell line was derived from the fibrosarcoma of a 35‐year‐old Caucasian man who died without having received chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The in vitro growth properties and transplantability into antithymocytic sera treated mice were characteristic of these malignant cells. An aberrant karyology with marker chromosomes was present. No virus particles were detected.

Macaques have served as models for more than 70 human infectious diseases of diverse etiologies, including a multitude of agents-bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, prions. The remarkable diversity of human infectious diseases that have been modeled in the macaque includes global, childhood, and tropical diseases as well as newly emergent, sexually transmitted, oncogenic, degenerative neurologic, potential bioterrorism, and miscellaneous other diseases. Historically, macaques played a major role in establishing the etiology of yellow fever, polio, and prion diseases. With rare exceptions (Chagas disease, bartonellosis), all of the infectious diseases in this review are of Old World origin. Perhaps most surprising is the large number of tropical (16), newly emergent (7), and bioterrorism diseases (9) that have been modeled in macaques. Many of these human diseases (e.g., AIDS, hepatitis E, bartonellosis) are a consequence of zoonotic infection. However, infectious agents of certain diseases, including measles and tuberculosis, can sometimes go both ways, and thus several human pathogens are threats to nonhuman primates including macaques. Through experimental studies in macaques, researchers have gained insight into pathogenic mechanisms and novel treatment and vaccine approaches for many human infectious diseases, most notably acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Other infectious agents for which macaques have been a uniquely valuable resource for biomedical research, and particularly vaccinology, include influenza virus, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, arenaviruses, hepatitis E virus, papillomavirus, smallpox virus, Mycobacteria, Bacillus anthracis, Helicobacter pylori, Yersinia pestis, and Plasmodium species. This review summarizes the extensive past and present research on macaque models of human infectious disease.

Two cell lines were derived from an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Cells of both lines grew as monolayers in liquid medium and formed colonies in agar medium. Each line consisted of 2 cytologic types resembling those of the original tumor—spindle cells and large multinucleated cells. No myofibrils could be demonstrated in the cells by light or by electron microscopy nor were virus particles detected. Cells of both lines probably contained myosin‐ATPase and cells of line #2 contained myoglobin. Chromosome studies of cell line #1 revealed a stem‐line of 51 chromosomes with a consistent karyotype. Three passages of cell line #2 were studied, and no evidence of a stem‐line was noted. Chromosome counts ranged from 45 to 170, and consistent marker chromosomes in most cells were present in the form of large metacentrics in the C group.