title: Are the carotid bodies of the guinea-pig functional?
abstract: We have previously observed that the guinea-pig appears to have a relatively poor ventilatory (V (E)) response to hypoxia, compared to other mammals. Therefore, in this study, we questioned the ability of the carotid bodies (primary peripheral chemoreceptors) in the guinea-pig to detect hypoxia. The ventilatory responses to poikilocapnic hypoxia (8% O(2)), poikilooxic hypercapnia (8% CO(2)), hyperoxia (100% O(2)) and cyanide (NaCN - 200 mug/kg, i.v.) were assessed before and after carotid body denervation (CBD) in anaesthetized guinea-pigs. Although CBD attenuated the V (E) responses to hypercapnia and cyanide, it had no effect on normoxic breathing or the V (E) responses to hypoxia or hyperoxia. In a separate group of guinea-pigs, nerve activity was recorded from single or few-fibre preparations of the carotid sinus nerve (CSN). Basal chemoreceptor activity could not be detected from any of the nerve preparations. NaCN and hypercapnia consistently provoked an increase in neural activity. In contrast, hypoxia never clearly increased activity in any of the single or few-fibre preparations isolated from the CSN. In conclusion, although the carotid bodies of the guinea-pig, like those of other mammals, are able to detect hypercapnia and histotoxic hypoxia and elicit a reflex increase in V (E), they are essentially hypoxia-insensitive. The latter may explain, at least in part, the relatively poor V (E) response to hypoxia shown by the guinea-pig.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. schwenke@ri.ncvc.go.jp
authors.forename: Daryl O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Schwenke
authors.forename: Chris P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bolter
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cragg
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D003714:Denervation; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012966:Sodium Cyanide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012966:Sodium Cyanide; D010100:Oxygen