Receptor binding
An increasingly important mechanism to consider
is use of receptor binding radiopharmaceuticals designed specifically to
trace receptor sites; for example, I-123 IQNB localizes at the site of
muscarinic receptors, I-123 iomazenil localizes in benzodiazepine receptors,
and I-123 mIBG permits visualization of adrenergic receptors in the myocardium.
Critical features of drug development in this case include special attention
to the specific activity and radiochemical purity of the starting material;
otherwise, the specific activity of the final product may be unsuitable
for localizing receptor sites due to saturation with cold, non-radioactive
material.
Stephen Karesh, PhD. |
Last Updated: August 14, 1996 |