Part I: Genetic, Structural Biology, Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Analysis of Opioid Receptors

1. Overview of Genetic Analysis of Human Opioid Receptors

Santi M. Spampinato

2. Computational Structural Biology of Opioid Receptors

Davide Provasi

3. Analysis of Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Opioid Receptor Gene Transcription

Cheol Kyu Hwang, Yadav Wagley, Ping-Yee Law, Li-Na Wei, and Horace H. Loh

4. Renilla Luciferase Reporter Assay to Study 3'UTR-Driven Post-Transcriptional Regulations of OPRM1

Gabriele Vincelli and Andrea Bedini

5. High-Throughput Gene Expression Profiling of Opioid-Induced Alterations in Discrete Brain Areas

Michal Korostynski, Marcin Piechota, Slawomir Golda, and Ryszard Przewlocki

Part II: Cellular Detection and Analysis of Opioid Receptors

6. Real-Time Imaging of Mu Opioid Receptors by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Cristina Roman-Vendrell and Guillermo Ariel Yudowski

7. In Vivo Techniques to Investigate the Internalization Profile of Opioid Receptors

Amynah A. Pradhan, Vivianne L. Tawfik, Alycia F. Laboy, and Grégory Scherrer

8. Monitoring Opioid Receptor Interaction in Living Cells by Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)

Monica Baiul

9. Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) to Detect the Interactions Between Kappa Opioid Receptor and Non-Visual Arrestins

Andrea Bedini

10. Identification and Verification of Proteins Interacting with the Kappa Opioid Receptor (KOPR)

Chongguang Chen, Peng Huang, and Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen

11. Detection of Mu Opioid Receptor (MOPR) and Its Glycosylation in Rat and Mouse Brains by Western Blot with Anti-µC, an Affinity-Purified Polyclonal Anti-MOPR Antibody

Peng Huang, Chongguang Chen, and Lee-Yuan Liu-Chen

12. Immunohistochemical Analysis of Opioid Receptors in Peripheral Tissues

Yvonne Schmidt and Halina Machelska

Part III: Analysis of Signaling Events Modulated by Opioid Receptors

13. [³⁵S]GTPgS-Autoradiography for Studies of Opioid Receptor Functionality

Alfhild Grönbladh and Mathias Hallberg

14. Fluorescence-Based, High-Throughput Assays for µ-Opioid Receptor Activation Using Membrane Potential-Sensitive Dye

Alisa Knapman and Mark Connor

15. Analysis of Potassium and Calcium Imaging to Assay the Function of Opioid Receptors

Viola Spahn, Dinah Nockemann, and Halina Machelska

16. Electrophysiological Patch Clamp Assay to Monitor the Action of Opioid Receptors

Viola Spahn, Dinah Nockemann, a

Part IV: Model Systems to Studying Opioid Receptor-Mediated Functions

17. Skin-Nerve Preparation to Assay the Function of Opioid Receptors in Peripheral Endings of Sensory Neurons

Rabih Moshourab, Yvonne Schmidt, and Halina Machelska

18. Mechanical Nociception Measurement in Mice and Rats with Automated Von Frey Equipment

Gabriele Campana and Roberto Rimondini

19. Detecting Zinc Release Induced by Mu-Opioid Receptor Agonists in Brain Slices

María Rodríguez-Muñoz, Pilar Sánchez-Blázquez, Concha Bailón, and Javier Garzón

20. Opioid Receptors: Methods for Detection and Their Modes of Actions in the Eye

Shahid Husain

21. Evaluation of Murine Macrophage Cytokine Production After In Vivo Morphine Treatment

Silvia Franchi, Mara Castelli, Sarah Moretti, Alberto Panerai, and Pa