Characterization of the interaction of phencyclidine and its derivatives with the ionic channel of the nicotinic receptor.

(3H)-Phencyclidine (PCP) binds specifically to the cholinergic ionophore in synaptic membranes prepared from Torpedo electric organ. Experiments performed by the centrifugation method establish that the binding is saturable, reversible and selective and can be characterized by a single dissociation constant (3.6 +/- 1.8 microM). The maximal binding capacity is 600 +/- 150 pmol/mg of membrane protein. Bound (3H)-PCP can be displaced by unlabelled PCP and a series of its derivatives. The reactivity of PCP derivatives in binding to (3H)-PCP binding sites, as related to structural changes at the phenyl, piperidyl and cyclohexyl moieties, is discussed.