18 
CARDIAC MODELS 
diet-induced atherosclerosis in nonhuman 
primates.'^°*" These animals are particularly 
interesting as animal models of atherosclerosis 
because of a striking age and sex differ- 
ence in their susceptibility to diet-induced 
atherosclerosis.''^-*'* Immature cebus monkeys 
fed an atherogenic diet (25% lard, 0.5% choles- 
terol) maintain lower concentrations of serum 
cholesterol than adults fed the same diet and 
adult male monkeys have markedly higher con- 
centrations than adult females. 
Adult but not young Ceb^is albifrons monkeys 
are moderately susceptible to diet-induced ath- 
erosclerosis. The atherosclerosis of these mon- 
keys is characterized by slight lesions in the 
aorta, relatively extensive lesions in the coro- 
nary arteries, large raised plaques of the caro- 
tid bifurcation, the absence of lesions in the cer- 
ebral vessels, and the presence of lesions in the 
small intramuscular arteries of the tongue, 
uterus, and kidneys. 
SUMMARY 
Some of the characteristics of lipid metabo- 
lism and atherosclerosis of the most commonly 
used nonhuman primates in atherosclerosis re- 
search have been presented. The availability of 
these more nearly suitable animal models is one 
of the most important advances in the field of 
atherosclerosis during the past decade. While 
much w^ork remains to be done to fully charac- 
terize the existing models, an investigator can 
now choose the animal model most logical for 
use in studies of particular facets of the dis- 
ease : cholesterol absorption, cholesterol excre- 
tion, aortic atherosclerosis, coronary artery ath- 
erosclerosis, cerebral artery atherosclerosis or 
peripheral arterial disease. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
The helpful advice of my colleagues Drs. B. C. Bul- 
lock, N. D. M. Lehner, H. B. Lofland, R. W. Prichard, 
and R. W. St. Clair is gratefully acknowledged. 
Supported in part by a National Institutes of Health 
Grant HE14164-01. 
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