Autoradiographic localization and characterization of [125I]Lysergic acid diethylamide binding to serotonin receptors in Aplysia
Neuroscience January 1, 1988 M.J. Kadan, P.R. Hartig 17 citations
Using a radioactive form of LSD, researchers mapped serotonin receptors in the nervous system of the sea slug Aplysia californica. The radioligand bound to high-affinity sites (Kd = 0.41 nM) in the ganglia, with a distribution matching earlier studies. These sites differed from mammalian serotonin receptor subtypes. Guanine nucleotides reduced agonist but not antagonist binding, suggesting the sites are coupled to G-proteins. Autoradiography showed receptors mainly in the neuropil and some neuronal cell bodies. The method allows rapid characterization of receptor binding and distribution in single ganglia, enabling identification of individual neurons with specific receptor subtypes for correlation with physiological responses.