The presence, pharmacological properties and anatomical distribution of serotonin-1C and serotonin-2 receptor subtypes were studied in the human brain by both radioligand binding and autoradiographic procedures. Frontal cortex, hippocampus and choroid plexus from human brains obtained at autopsy without history of neurological diseases were used in this study. [3H]5-HT and [3H]mesulergine were used to label 5-HT1C recognition sites while [3H]ketanserin was used to label 5-HT2 receptors. The pharmacological profile of 5-HT1C sites which are very concentrated in the choroid plexus, was extremely similar to that of pig and rat 5-HT1C sites. These receptors were also detected in the hippocampus and the cortex from human brain. The general distribution of 5-HT1C sites in human and rat brain was similar although slight differences were observed. Human 5-HT2 receptors were concentrated in cortical areas but also found in the hippocampus. The pharmacological profile of these receptors was extremely similar in human and pig brain tissue, but differed in certain respects to that found in rat brain 5-HT2 receptors. The anatomical distribution of 5-HT2 receptors is similar in human and rat brain with some differences at the microscopic level. The importance of species differences in the development of 5-HT2 compounds is discussed.