The peripheral benzodiazepine receptors: a review

Peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBRs) have been identified in various peripheral tissues as well as in glial cells in the brain. This review desc ribes the tissue and subcellular distribution of the PER in mammalian tissu es and analyzes its many putative endogenous ligands. It deals with the pha rmacological, structural and molecular characterization of the PER, the pro teins associated with the receptor (VDAC, ANC, PRAX-1) and their roles in c ell growth and differentiation, cancer, steroid biosynthesis, and other phy siological roles.