Multiple benzodiazepine receptors in the ovine brain: ontogenesis, properties, and distribution of 3H-diazepam binding.

Benzodiazepine receptors in the ovine frontal cortex were present at 56 days gestation and developed slowly until 96 days when the number increased rapidly, reaching adult levels by 120 days gestation. Scatchard analysis of 3H-diazepam specifically bound to cortical membranes suggested high (KD approximately equal to 2.0 nM) and low (KD approximately equal to 20.0 nM) affinity benzodiazepine receptors at all stages of development. Whereas the affinity of these receptors for 3H-diazepam did not alter during development, the number of both high and low affinity receptors increased significantly between 56 and 120 days gestation. The number of low affinity receptors were higher in late gestation and early neonatal life than in adulthood. The functional state of these receptors as determined by sensitivity to GABA did not alter during development. However, in the adult, nitrazepam, flunitrazepam, midazolam, and 1-methylisoguanosine were more potent in displacing 3H-diazepam at the low affinity than the high affinity receptor, whereas chlordiazepoxide and diazepam had greater potency at the high affinity binding site. Development of the benzodiazepine receptor in the majority of other brain regions studied occurred primarily after 68 days gestation, as was the case in frontal cortex. In contrast, hindbrain and midbrain benzodiazepine receptors had reached adult levels by 68 days gestation.