title: Expression of mu-opioid receptors in developing rat spinal cord: an autoradiographic study.
abstract: The expression of mu-opioid receptors in the developing rat spinal cord (Postnatal days 7, 14, 30) was studied by autoradiography using [3H]DAMGO. When compared to camera lucida drawings, the receptor was noted over the entire gray matter and dorsal root ganglia at postnatal days 7 and 14. At postnatal day 30, the receptor expression decreased over the gray matter except the superficial laminae (laminae I and II). At all age groups studied, a higher expression of the receptor was noted over the superficial laminae. The study shows that micro-opioid receptors appears early in postnatal development and attains mature receptor distribution relatively late in ontogeny, suggesting a possible role in the normal development of nervous system. This is affirmed by an impairment of psychomotor development in babies born to mothers, addicted to opiates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India. sbr_aiims@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Subrata Basu
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Shashi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods*; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu