Rotation cultures from different regions of embryonic chick brain. II. Presence of stereospecific opiate binding and responses to narcotics

Cells taken from different parts (cerebra, optic lobes and the mesencephalon diencephalon region) of 8 day embryonic chick brains were reaggregated by rotation. The cultures were found to bind (³H) etorphine in a stereospecific manner and in developmental patterns that were comparable to the corresponding regions of the embryonic chick brain. Certain biochemical responses of the cultures to narcotic drugs were studied, and the addition of 2 x 10^-4M levorphanol brought about 40-100% increases in the activity of acetylcholinesterase and the concentration of protein in all 3 types of cultures. These effects of the opiates were not stereospecific, but they were antagonized by the narcotic antagonist naloxone (1.25 x 10^-4M).