[Vasopressin and oxytocin receptors in the central nervous system of the rat].

Synaptic plasma membranes containing binding sites for (3H) oxytocin and (3H) arginine vasopressin were isolated from rat amygdala, olfactory bulb and hippocampus. In the hippocampus, two specific binding sites have been characterized: an "oxytocic" binding site, which has a high affinity for oxytocin, arginine vasopressin and arginine vasotocin, and a "vasopressic" binding site, which has a high affinity for arginine vasopressin, arginine vasotocin and a low affinity for oxytocin. The specificity of these binding sites were tested in competition experiments. The affinity of different antidiuretic and vasopressic analogues for the vasopressic site was similar to that observed for the V1 type of vasopressin receptors present in the hepatocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. The affinity of several analogues for the oxytocic site shows some similarities with their corresponding relative activities in increasing the firing rate of non pyramidal neurones in hippocampal slices. Arginine vasopressin and oxytocin did not change the activity of adenylate cyclase present in the hippocampal synaptic plasma membranes. The properties of these specific binding sites for the neurohypophyseal hormones are compared with the receptors present on the peripheral targets.