Regional distribution of putative vasopressin receptors in rat brain and pituitary by quantitative autoradiography.
Quantitative light microscopic autoradiography was used to map and characterize the distribution of [3H]arginine vasopressin [( 3H]AVP) binding sites in the rat brain. HPLC analysis for possible degradation of AVP during binding indicated that addition of specific peptidase inhibitors prevented metabolism of AVP. Binding sites for [3H]AVP were observed in the hypothalamus and pituitary as well as in brain regions where AVP may act as a neuroregulator. Within the hypothalamus, dense AVP binding sites were seen in the suprachiasmatic, supraoptic, and paraventricular nuclei. High specific binding was also apparent in the median eminence tubero-infundibular region and in the posterior lobe of the pituitary. [3H]AVP labeling at possible neuroregulatory sites was observed in the hippocampus, lateral septum, superficial cortex, cerebellum, nucleus tractus solitarious, adenohypophysis, and spinal cord.
D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000378:metabolism*; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin
D011945:Receptors, Angiotensin; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin