Benzodiazepine receptors on primary cultures of mouse astrocytes.

Benzodiazepines bind to glial membranes on a single type of site, with a high affinity (KD = 5 x 10(-9) M) on about 100 fmol of sites per mg protein. The number of binding sites is increased when the membranes are treated with Triton X-100. Antiepileptic drugs such as clonazepam and phenobarbital and hypnotic drugs such as Ro-11-3128 and Ro-11-6896 are able in pharmacological concentrations to displace [3H]flunitrazepam from its glial binding sites.