Alterations in the laminar distribution of pentagastrin binding sites in cat visual cortex during postnatal...

The distribution and characteristics of [3H]pentagastrin (CCK-5) binding sites were examined in the visual cortex of cats of varied age. CCK-5-labelled binding sites in a highly age-dependent, laminar-specific manner. In young kittens, CCK-5 binding sites were found dominantly in layers IV-VI. During the first 3 months of postnatal development the laminar pattern of binding changed so that by 95 days postnatal, layers I-III and VI were the most densely labelled. CCK-5 binding sites appear to be members of a class of receptors which exhibit laminar alterations in their distribution during early postnatal development.