Differential maturation of mu and delta opioid receptors in the chick embryonic brain.

The developmental profiles of the binding of mu and delta opiate receptors agonists was investigated using the chick embryo brain. Binding of opioids was performed at embryonic days 5, 6, 15, 18, and 20 in the developing chick embryo brain. [3H]dihyromorphine was used as a mu ligand and with 5 X 10(-7) M levorphanol for non-specific binding, and 3H-enkephalin was used as a delta with 5 X 10(-7) M (D-Ser-Gly-Phe-Leu-Thr)-enkephalin for non-specific binding. Crude membranes were prepared from whole brain at days 5, 6 and cerebral hemispheres at days 15, 18, and 20 of embryonic age. Both mu and delta opiate receptors were present during early embryogenesis and as early as day 5. Analysis of binding sites revealed high and low affinity mu sites during early embryogenesis but only one delta site. By 18 days of embryonic age, only one mu site remained. This developmental change is interpreted as a transitory state of the receptor to the adult mu pattern. The presence of only one delta site is constant throughout embryonic age; it is high during early embryogenesis reaching a lower level by 18 days. The presence of a dual binding site pattern for the mu receptor in early embryogenesis is implicated to have a functional significance in the pluripotential role of the endogenous opioids in early development.