Quantitative autoradiographic localization of prostaglandin E2 binding sites in monkey diencephalon

Quantitative autoradiography was performed to investigate the mapping of prostaglandin E2 binding sites in the Macaca fuscata fuscata diencephalon. Autoradiographs were prepared by incubation of 10-micron-thick serial frozen sections with 3H-prostaglandin E2 and were processed by using a rotating drum-scanner and a computer-assisted image-processing system with 3H-microscales as standards. The localization of prostaglandin E2 binding sites was remarkably discrete in the diencephalon. The highest concentrations were found in the median and medial preoptic areas, supramammilary nucleus of the hypothalamus, and centromedian nucleus of the thalamus. High density was observed in the medial and dorsal hypothalamic areas; paraventricular, anterior, dorsomedial, and infundibular nuclei of the hypothalamus; and in the anteroventral, periventricular, paraventricular, laterodorsal, and habenular nuclei of the thalamus. The distribution correlates well with the known effects of prostaglandin E2 and may also give us useful clues in unveiling the novel role of prostaglandin E2 in a variety of brain functions.