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Opiate binding to brain slices and ontogenesis of hypothalamic [ 3 H]naloxone binding sites
Author(s) -
Bhanot R.,
Wilkinson M.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(83)90210-1
Subject(s) - opiate , radioligand , (+) naloxone , phenoxybenzamine , binding site , endocrinology , medicine , morphine , radioligand assay , receptor , hypothalamus , opiate receptors , chemistry , ligand binding assay , biology , pharmacology , antagonist , biochemistry
We have developed a radioligand binding assay based on the use of hypothalamic slices and have examined the ontogenesis of [ 3 H]naloxone binding sites in male and female rats. [ 3 H]NAL binding is reversible, saturable, stereospecific, of high affinity, readily displaceable by morphine and is sensitive to phenoxybenzamine. These characteristics suggest that [ 3 H]NAL readily binds to opiate receptors in brain slices. With this assay we have demonstrated that: (a) there is an age‐related increase in opiate binding sites in rat hypothalamus, (b) there are sex differences in the binding affinity of the sites and (c) the values of B max are approximately 2–5‐fold higher than the levels previously reported from assays with brain homogenates.