ISSN:
1365-2826
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
The distribution and quantification of opioid receptor types in post-mortem human pituitary cryostat sections was determined by quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography. Highly specific radioligands were used for each opioid receptor type, i.e. [125I]-FK-33-824 for μ-opioid sites, [125I][D.Ala2]-Deltorphin-I for δ-opioid sites and 3H-U69,593 for κ-opioid sites.None of the five specimens tested exhibited any labelling in the anterior lobe of the pituitary for the three radioligands. As for the posterior pituitary, all 5 specimens contained both μ and κ-opioid binding sites whereas none of them showed δ-binding sites.The presence of both μ- and κ-opioid binding sites in the human posterior pituitary contrasts with previous findings in the rat where only κ-sites have been found. The present study could contribute to understanding of the functional action of opioids in the human pituitary.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2826.1996.53210.x
