1. Binding of the non-selective opioid [3H]etorphine in the human fetal central nervous system
- Author
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Jacques Magnan, Mario Tiberi, and Jacques Lemay
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Cerebellum ,Central nervous system ,Gestational Age ,Biology ,Fetus ,Developmental Neuroscience ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Binding site ,Binding Sites ,Brain ,Etorphine ,Spinal cord ,Ligand (biochemistry) ,Kinetics ,Endocrinology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Morphinans ,Opioid ,Neuroscience ,Developmental Biology ,medicine.drug - Abstract
The existence of specific, high-affinity opioid binding sites was demonstrated in 21-week-old human fetuses with the use of tritiated etorphine, a non-selective opioid ligand. Binding capacities measured in the brain, the cerebellum and the spinal cord give values of 2.83, 3.71 and 5.42 pmol/g of tissue. Kd values do not vary from one region to the other and are respectively 0.29, 0.35 and 0.33 nM. These results are compared with the characteristics of opioid binding sites found in adults.
- Published
- 1988
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