Autoradiographic study of beta 1-adrenergic receptor development in the mouse forebrain

The development of beta 1-adrenergic receptors has been studied in the mouse forebrain from embryonic day 14 (E14) to adulthood, using autoradiographic visualization of [125I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) binding sites. From E14, ICYP binding sites are detected in moderate amounts in the striatum and basal forebrain and in very low concentration in the cortical plate. At E17, binding sites have increased in number in the deep layers of the embryonic cortex and extend over the whole thickness of the cortical ribbon at birth. On postnatal day 4 (P4), ICYP binding sites are more abundant in the superficial than in the inner cortex. By P10 the adult pattern of ICYP binding site distribution is achieved, namely: a high concentration in ventral pallidum, striatum and cortical layers I, II and III, a moderate concentration in layers V and VI and a lower density in septal areas and in cortical layer IV. It is well established that norepinephrine fibers arrive in the embryonic cortex early in development. The present results show that the development of norepinephrine fiber and beta 1 receptor systems are coincident in the mouse.