The Handbook of Experimental Animals: The Laboratory Primate.

This book is the 4th in a continuing series of handbooks intended to provide detailed information about specific animal research models. As the title implies, the authors of this volume have attempted to cover aspects of anatomy, husbandry, physiology, medicine, and model design for all non human primate species commonly employed in research settings. The preface indicates that the book is intended for anyone considering or currently working with nonhuman primates in research. It is organized into 4 main sections: Definition of a Primate Model (9 chapters), Primate Management (8 chapters), Research Techniques and Procedures (6 chapters), and Current Uses in Biomedical Research (12 chapters). Additionally, there is a glossary of common technical terms used throughout and an excellent index. The chapter covering taxonomy provides a lengthy and rather dry discussion on classification theory without photographs of commonly used research species, maps of geographic ranges, or a discussion of major physiologic differences between Platyrrhini or Catarrhini species. Species not commonly used in research, such as lemurs and lorises, are discussed in detail, while other species, such as capuchins, are excluded. Similarly, the chapter on general anatomy is incomplete and covers species outside of those found in laboratory settings. There are no images and few tables summarizing comparative anatomical differences, and the large blocks of text would have been more appropriately organized under subheadings for ease of reading. The text covering husbandry of old world monkeys addresses management of these species superficially and is only 4 pages long, somewhat surprising, as macaques are the most commonly used research primate in North America and Europe. The chapter on medical care is also incomplete and lists only 15 references, many of which are dated (over 20 years old). In addition to these shortfalls, there are obvious gaps in the topics covered. These include detailed information on euthanasia; postmortem techniques and tools; tissue prosection, trimming, and fixation; a single formulary of commonly used drugs and contraindications; a discussion of general surgical techniques; information on zoonoses, biosafety, and occupational health and safety; and a general discussion of the ethical use of these species in research. Despite these shortcomings, there are a number of outstanding chapters containing information that is not available or as well summarized in text format elsewhere. The chapter on management and husbandry of marmosets and tamarins is excellent and thorough, providing numerous color and black and white photographs of animals, caging, and various disease conditions, as well as detailed tables summarizing nutritional needs, breeding, reproductive physiology, and clinical pathology. In the chapter on enrichment, there are excellent and practical comments and photographs on training nonhuman primates to voluntarily cooperate with various research procedures. The text covering specific pathogen free (SPF) colony development provides an excellent overview of the subject, including target pathogens for different species, viral testing and rederivation strategies, and an overview of the specific needs of the veterinary care program required for colony management. The chapter on rigid endoscopy is thorough and clearly written; it provides numerous color photographs of equipment and techniques for routine abdominal and thoracic laparoscopic procedures, in addition to excellent suggestions for anesthesia of animals for these procedures. The 4 chapters on imaging (reproductive ultrasonography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and radiology) are well written, covering technical theory, in addition to common lesions and uses in research. With the exception of that on radiology, all chapters include numerous diagrams, flowcharts, and sample images that are very useful for the reader. The radiology chapter contains particularly good diagnostic information on presentation of common pathologic conditions, but unfortunately it lacks images to complement the text. In the final section on research models, 2 chapters are particularly worthy of note. That covering chronic disease models (arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis) provides a thorough overview of the pathogenesis of disease in each case, as well as recommendations for biomarkers and endpoint scoring tables. That on the respiratory system is outstanding, covering comparative anatomy, physiology, and histology predominantly for rhesus monkeys. The numerous tables, line drawings, photomicrographs, and scanning electron micrograph images in this chapter summarize hard to find detailed information that is important for respiratory research modeling. Overall, the book cannot be recommended as a general reference treatise on the laboratory primates, as it provides an unusual combination of in-depth material on very focused topics and superficial overviews of more general areas. With few exceptions, the content is largely devoted to research macaques; specifically, rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys. Readers hoping to find information on other nonhuman primate models may be disappointed. Keeping this in mind, the book will be a very useful addition to the libraries of laboratory animal veterinarians and researchers working with these specific research models, complementing other texts on the same subject.