The ontogenetic development of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity and neurotensin receptors in the cat striatum.

At birth, striatal neurotensin-like immunoreactivity amounted to 10% of the adult values which were reached at the age of 5 weeks. In the caudate nucleus neurotensin-like immunoreactivity presented a patchy distribution throughout development that was in register with Met-enkephalin staining, whereas [3H]neurotensin binding sites were most heavily concentrated in the background matrix. Thus, the adult distribution pattern of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity and [3H]neurotensin binding sites is already established at birth.