Intermittent hypoxia, a feature of obstructive sleep apnoea, potentiates ventilatory hypoxic responses, alters heart rate variability and produces hypertension, partially owing to an enhanced carotid body responsiveness to hypoxia. Since oxidative stress is a potential mediator of both chemosensory and cardiorespiratory alterations, we hypothesised that an antioxidant treatment may prevent thes...

Hypoxia regulates the local expression of angiotensin-generating system in the rat carotid body and the me-tabolite angiotensin IV (Ang IV) may be involved in the modulation of carotid body function. We tested the hypothesis that Ang IV-binding angiotensin AT(4) receptors play a role in the adaptive change of the carotid body in hypoxia. The expression and localization of Ang IV-binding sites a...

Carotid body chemoreceptors are complex secondary receptors. There are chemical and electric connections between glomus cells (GC/GC) and between glomus cells and carotid nerve endings (GC/NE). Chemical secretion of glomus cells is accompanied by GC/GC uncoupling. Chemical GC/NE transmission is facilitated by concomitant electric coupling. Chronic hypoxia reduces GC/GC coupling but increases G/...

Much recent attention has been given to the carotid body because of its potential role in cardiovascular disease states. One disease, neurogenic hypertension, characterised by excessive sympathetic activity, appears dependent on carotid body activity that may or may not be accompanied by sleep-disordered breathing. Herein, we review recent literature suggesting that the carotid body acquires to...

The aim of this work was to show contribution of power Doppler imaging in the diagnosis of the carotid body tumors. Six patients with a nontender mass beneath the mandibular angle were evaluated with gray scale and power Doppler sonography. Well-defined, solid, weakly hyperechoic masses were noted on gray scale sonography in the carotid bifurcation. Power Doppler sonography showed abundant flow...

Carbon monoxide (CO), produced endogenously by heme oxygenase, has been implicated as a neuronal messenger. Carotid bodies are sensory organs that regulate ventilation by responding to alterations of blood oxygen, CO2, and pH. Changes in blood gases are sensed by glomus cells in the carotid body that synapse on afferent terminals of the carotid sinus nerve that projects to respiratory-related n...

Malignant carotid body tumors are rare neoplasms which originate from the chemoreceptor cells at the carotid bifurcation. A 61-year-old man presented with a neck mass which was diagnosed as a malignant carotid body tumor. Surgical resection of the mass with accompanying lymph nodes was performed. No evidence for local recurrence or distant metastasis were detected during the follow-up period.

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Acetylcholine and muscarinic agonists inhibit chemosensory activity in the rabbit carotid sinus nerve (CSN). Because the mechanism of this inhibition is poorly understood, we have investigated the kinetics and distribution of muscarinic receptors in the rabbit carotid body with the specific muscarinic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate ([3H]QNB). Equilibrium binding experiments identified di...