The binding of [3H]endo-N-(8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1.]oct-3-yl)- 2,3-dihydro-3-ethyl-2-oxo-1H-benzimidazole-1-carboxamide hydrochloride ([3H]BIMU-1) a benzimidazolone with high affinity for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)3 and 4 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors, was characterized in NG-108 cells and guinea pig hippocampus. Specific, heat-sensitive, binding of [3H]BIMU-1 was detected in both NG-108 cells and guinea pig hippocampus. In NG-108 cell membranes, a portion of the specific binding was displaced by 5-HT3 receptor ligands with affinities and specificity consistent with the labeling of 5-HT3 receptors. The residual specific binding was insensitive to serotonin (Ki > 1 mM) but was displaced by haloperidol (Ki of 50 nM). In guinea pig hippocampal membranes [3H]BIMU-1 binding was insensitive to serotonin but was displaced by haloperidol, and 1,3-di-o-tolyl-guanidine with affinities appropriate for the labeling of a sigma binding site (Ki of 6.3 and 31 nM, respectively). The affinity profile of ligands displacing [3H] BIMU-1 binding in guinea pig hippocampus was consistent with the selective labeling of a sigma-2 binding site because the sigma-1 selective benzomorphans, (+)-pentazocine and (+)-N-allylnormetazocine, only weakly displaced the binding (Ki greater than 1 microM). The affinity of BIMU-1 for sigma-2 binding sites (Ki = 32 nM) was 200-fold greater than that for sigma-1 binding sites (Ki = 6.3 microM), dopamine (D1 and D2), other serotonin (5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C) and muscarinic (M1, M2, M3 and M4) receptors (Ki > 10 microM). The distribution of haloperidol-sensitive [3H]BIMU-1 binding was also consistent with the labeling of sigma-2 binding sites. These data suggest that [3H]BIMU-1 selectively labels sigma-2 binding sites in guinea pig hippocampus. [3H]BIMU-1, under appropriate experimental conditions, is thus the first sigma-2 binding site radioligand to be characterized.