Angiotensin II binding sites in the anteroventral-third ventricle (AV3V) area and related structures of the rat brain.

Angiotensin II binding sites were localized in the rat brain by incubation of sagittal sections with 125I-[Sar1]-angiotensin II, followed by [3H]Ultrofilm autoradiography. Binding sites were localized in the subfornical organ and the entire anteroventral-third ventricle (AV3V) area, including the subependymal area of the anterior third ventricle, the median preoptic nucleus and the organon vasculosum laminae terminalis. Binding sites were also present in the paraventricular and periventricular nuclei and in the median eminence. These findings support the hypothesis of an extensive involvement of angiotensin in the neuronal circuits connecting the subfornical organ, the AV3V area, the paraventricular nucleus and the median eminence, and in the regulation of fluid balance, blood pressure and pituitary secretion.