DOPAMINE-RECEPTOR BINDING ON IDENTIFIED STRIATONIGRAL NEURONS

Dopamine receptors have been divided into two families, known as D-1 a nd D-2, based on their ability to bind distinct ligands, and their use of separate post-synaptic transduction systems. Determining the speci fic cellular location for these dopamine receptors in the striatum is important to the design of drug treatments for disorders with suspecte d dopaminergic involvement such as Parkinson's disease. This study exa mined the binding of D-1 and D-2 antagonist ligands on identified stri atonigral neurons using in vitro fluorescent techniques. The results i ndicate that striatonigral neurons express both pharmacological subfam ilies of dopamine receptor binding sites.