The properties of the specific binding of the muscarinic receptor ligands [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate and N-[3H]methylscopolamine in rat brain were compared. The specific binding of both ligands was affected equally by heat, phospholipase A2 and trypsin. N-[3H]methylscopolamine labeled only a fraction of the total muscarinic receptors recognized by [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate in different brain...

Muscarinic ACh receptors mediate complex and clinically important effects in the striatum. To better understand the roles of the different muscarinic receptor subtypes (m1-m4), we have determined the cellular and subcellular distribution of the m1-m4 receptor proteins in the rat neostriatum using subtype-specific antibodies and avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunocytochemistry for light and electron...

The role of aging on contraction or relaxation through muscarinic or alpha-adrenergic receptors, respectively, was studied in isolated rat jejunum. Furthermore, the influence of extracellular calcium was analyzed, through functional and radioligand binding assays. The rank order of potency for selective muscarinic antagonists for M(1), M(2), and M(3) receptor subtypes, measured from affinity (p...

PURPOSE We evaluated the alterations of density, localization and subtype specificity of muscarinic receptors in experimentally-induced diabetic rat bladder. METHODS Five groups of rats were maintained for sixteen weeks 1) diabetic, 2) diabetic insulin-treated (insulin started 8 weeks after the onset of diabetes), 3) sucrose-fed diuretic, 4) sucrose-removed and 5) age matched controls. We use...