Development and differentiation of the benzodiazepine receptor in cultures of fetal mouse spinal cord

Abstract

Cultures of fetal mouse spinal cord were assayed for the development of the benzodiazepine (BDZ) receptor on intact cells in situ. At 2 and 3 weeks in culture, levels of binding were low and Scatchard analysis was linear revealing a single binding site with K d s of 115 and 71 nM, respectively. After 4 weeks in culture, coincident with large increases in neuronal (clonazepam displaceable) and nonneuronal (Ro5-4864 displaceable) binding, Scatchard plots became non-linear revealing 2 distinct binding sites with K d s of 11 and 175 nM.