title: Hypoxic and hypercapnic responses of [Ca2+]o and [K+]o in the cat carotid body in vitro.
abstract: Measurements of extracellular Ca2+ and K+ activities [( Ca2+]o, [K+]o) in the superfused cat carotid body in vitro with triple-barrelled ion-selective electrodes have shown that hypoxia induced a decrease in [Ca2+]o of 0.035 +/- 0.17 mM (mean +/- S.D.; n = 17) and a biphasic change in [K+]o which consisted of an increase of 2.3 +/- 1.8 mM followed by an undershoot of -0.52 +/- 0.34 mM (mean +/- S.D.; n = 17). Hypercapnia induced a monophasic upward deflection increase of both [Ca2+]o and [K+]o of about 0.037 +/- 0.013 mM and 0.33 +/- 0.15 mM, respectively (n = 17). During hypoxia, lowering [Ca2+] in the medium to 0.1 mM resulted in a reversed [Ca2+]o response, attenuated [K+]o increase and absence of chemosensory nerve discharges. TTX generally did not affect the hypoxic and hypercapnic induced ionic changes, although the [K+]o undershoot was reduced by 30%. Co2+ competitively blocked the changes in [Ca2+]o and the increase in the sensory nerve discharge elicited by hypoxia and, not competitively, the changes of [K+]o. The ionic changes to hypercapnia were less affected by Co2+. Ouabain inhibited the [K+]o undershoot induced by hypoxia, as did the removal of Na+ from medium. It is concluded that changes in extracellular free Ca2+ and K+ ions concentration induced by hypoxia and hypercapnia represent ionic fluxes related to the transduction process of carotid body cells (glomus and/or sustentacular).
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Systemphysiologie, Dortmund, F.R.G.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Delpiano
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acker
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002415:Cats; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010042:Ouabain / Q000494:pharmacology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D010042:Ouabain