KOR antibody validation. Western blots illustrating immunoreactive single bands after exposure to mouse anti-KOR (A, left panel, samples 1 and 2, and B, left panel, samples 1–4) at the appropriate mass: 43 kDa. This immunoreactivity was blocked by preabsorption of mouse anti-KOR preabsorption with KOR peptide (A, right panel, samples 1–3) but not MOR peptide (B, right panel, samples 2–5). Empty lanes in right panels of A and B were not loaded with peptide and served as negative controls. All samples in A and B were loaded and processed on the same gels and membranes. Membrane was cut at dashed line for exposure to either mouse anti-KOR (MsxKOR) or preabsorption with KOR (A) or MOR peptide (B). Images for immunohistochemical controls are shown in panel C for sections of SON, PVN, or ARC incubated with either mouse-anti-KOR or preabsorption control with KOR peptide. Scale bars, 500 μm.