Receptor autoradiography with ¹¹c and [³h]-labelled ligands visualized by imaging plates

The distribution of histamine H„ H3, dopamine D, and D2 receptors in the brain was studied by receptor autoradiography using a high-sensitivity and high-resolution imaging plate system. [3H]Pyrilamine, [3H](i?)a-methyl-histamine, ["C]SCH23390, and ["QiV-methylspiperone (or ["C]YM-09151-2) were used as ligands to identify H„ H3, D, and D2 receptors, respectively. Two different receptors (dopamine D2 and histamine H3) could be also labelled simultaneously in a single cryostat-sliced section using [nC]iV-methylspiperone and [3H](i?)a-methylhistamine, respectively. The imaging plate system is useful for receptor autoradiography of positron emitter-labelled and tritium-labelled receptor-ligands because of its high sensitivity.