Viruslike particles in hamster embryos, fetuses, and tumors.

Intracisternal viruslike particles were present in outbred Syrian golden and inbred ALB/Mey Pfd hamster blastocysts, embryos, and fetuses. Their morphology was identical to that of the "spoked" viruslike particles found in hamster tumors. They were released in great numbers in the embryonal tissues until day 9 of pregnancy and were found until day 13 in the fetal tissues. Thereafter, these viruslike particles were no longer observed in the fetus. They were never recorded in normal adult hamster tissues.