Metabolism of human carcinoembryonic antigen in xenogeneic animals.

Abstract

Summary The metabolism of radiolabeled carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been studied in rabbits and dogs. About 70% of injected CEA disappears from the circulation of these animals in 1 hr. The liver is the primary site of accumulation of the material. Sequential injection of the CEA into rabbits and dogs suggests that, by the metabolic parameters studied, the CEA is biologically heterogeneous, even in preparations that appear physicochemically and immunochemically homogeneous.