According to the observations of other researchers, benzodiazepine rec
eptors solubilized with sodium deoxycholate are unstable, but stabilit
y can be improved by exchanging deoxycholate for Triton X-100. In our
experiments we conclude that the choice of detergent is not the restri
ctive factor for the stability of the solubilized receptors, but the s
torage conditions are. Solubilized receptors, either stored in sodium
deoxycholate or in Triton X-100, were stable for at least 2 months whe
n stored at -80 degrees C, but both preparations were strongly unstabl
e when stored at -20 degrees C. Alternatively, sodium deoxycholate-sol
ubilized receptors may be lyophilized and then stored at -20 degrees C
.