Monolayer cultures of neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid (clonal) cell line NG108-15, synchronized by the isoleucine/glutamine deprivation method, showed maximal expression of opiate binding sites at the same point in the cell cycle at which prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) had a maximum stimulatory effect on cyclic AMP synthesis. However, the capacity of enkephalin [D-Ala2D-Leu5] to block the stimulation of cyclic AMP synthesis by PGE1 was not related to the number of opiate receptors expressed. The Ki for the inhibition of cyclic AMP synthesis by opioid peptides increased substantially during the period of the cell cycle at which maximal expression of opiate binding sites occurred, making the effective level of inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity by 0.1 microM enkephalin [D-Ala2D-Leu5] the same through the cell cycle. Data are presented to suggest that enkephalin receptor coupling to adenylate cyclase, via a GTP-binding protein, is maximal during G1 phase (which may approximate the state of the differentiated neuron) and minimal during S + G2 phase, just prior to cell division, when many receptors are uncoupled.