Autoradiographic characterization of L-[3H]glutamate binding sites in the central nervous system

A quantitative autoradiographic technique was developed to study L-[3H[glutamate binding in sections of central nervous system tissue. This technique circumvented some problems associated with conventional receptor binding methodologies and allowed direct assessment of regional distribution, numbers and affinities of glutamate binding sites. The sensitivity and high degree of anatomical resolution attainable by autoradiography obviated the need for pooled samples of microdissected specimens. Under assay conditions, [4H]glutamate bound rapidly and reversibly to sections of rat brain and was not metabolized appreciably. The distribution of glutamate binding sites corresponded to the projection areas of putative glutamatergic pathways. Thus, there was heavy glutamate binding in regions where there is evidence for glutamatergic innervation and little binding in nuclei which apparently do not receive glutamatergic input. Scatchard and Hill plots suggested that glutamate was interacting with a single population of sites; however, competition studies revealed binding site heterogeneity. Anatomical and pharmacological evidence suggested that the NMDA-, high affinity quisqualate-, and kainate-sensitive glutamate binding sites may correspond to physiologically-defined NMDA, quisqualate and kainate receptors