Human μ-opioid receptor (HμOR) with a tag of six consecutive histidines at its carboxyl terminus had been expressed in recombinant baculovirus infected Sf9 insect cells.The maximal binding capacity for the [3H] diprenorphine and [3H]ohmefentanyl (Ohm) were 9.1 ± 0.7 and 6.52 ±0.23 nmol/g protein, respectively. The [3H] diprenorphine or [3H] Ohm binding to the receptor expressed in Sf9 cells was strongly inhibited by μ-selective agonists [D-Ala2, N-methyl-Phe4, glyol5]enkephalin (DAGO), Ohm, and morphine, but neither by δ nor by κ selective agonist. Na+ (100 mM) and GTP (50μM) could reduce HμOR agonists etorphine and Ohm affinity binding to the overexpressed HμOR.μ-selective agonists DAGO and Ohm effectively stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding (EC50 = 2.7nM and 6.9 nM) and inhibited forskolin- stimulated cAMP accumulation (IC50 = 0.9 nM and 0.3 nM). The agonist-dependent effects could be blocked by opioid antagonist naloxone or by pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin (PTX). These results demonstrated that HμOR overexpressed in Sf9 insect cells functionally coupled to endogenous Gi/o proteins.Key words: Human μ-opioid receptor (Hμ OR), Sf9 insect cells, pertussis toxin (PTX), endogenous Gi/o proteins.