Number of receptor sites from Scatchard and Klotz graphs: complementary approaches

Estimates of number of receptor sites and evaluation of the complexity of the binding process require collection of a spectrum of binding measurements and selection of a theoretical model to fit the experimental data. The appropriateness of the measurements and of the model can be visually judged on graphic displays of the model-data fitting curves in Scatchard and semilogarithmic coordinates. This approach is helpful for detecting the two types of errors most frequently found in reports of binding studies: (1) underestimating the number of binding sites, and (2) failure to recognize the complexity of the binding process. While the former is readily recognizable on semilogarithmic but not on Scatchard plots of the model fitting the data, the latter might not be apparent on either plot. Collection of extensive measurements over a wide range of ligand concentrations with graphic display of the model-data fitting curves in Scatchard and semilogarithmic coordinates should be used to recognize and prevent both errors.