RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Tetrodotoxin as a Tool to Elucidate Sensory Transduction Mechanisms: The Case for the Arterial Chemoreceptors of the Carotid Body
A1 Rocher Martín, María Asunción
A1 Cáceres Pereira, Ana Isabel
A1 Obeso Cáceres, Ana María de la Luz
A1 González, Constancio
K1 Neurofisiología
AB Abstract: Carotid bodies (CBs) are secondary sensory receptors in which the sensingelements, chemoreceptor cells, are activated by decreases in arterial PO2 (hypoxichypoxia). Upon activation, chemoreceptor cells (also known as Type I and glomus cells)increase their rate of release of neurotransmitters that drive the sensory activity in thecarotid sinus nerve (CSN) which ends in the brain stem where reflex responses arecoordinated. When challenged with hypoxic hypoxia, the physiopathologically mostrelevant stimulus to the CBs, they are activated and initiate ventilatory and cardiocirculatoryreflexes. Reflex increase in minute volume ventilation promotes CO2 removal from alveoliand a decrease in alveolar PCO2 ensues. Reduced alveolar PCO2 makes possible alveolarand arterial PO2 to increase minimizing the intensity of hypoxia. The ventilatory effect, inconjunction the cardiocirculatory components of the CB chemoreflex, tend to maintain anadequate supply of oxygen to the tissues. The CB has been the focus of attention since thediscovery of its nature as a sensory organ by de Castro (1928) and the discovery of itsfunction as the origin of ventilatory reflexes by Heymans group (1930). A great deal ofeffort has been focused on the study of the mechanisms involved in O2 detection. Thisreview is devoted to this topic, mechanisms of oxygen sensing. Starting from a summary ofthe main theories evolving through the years, we will emphasize the nature and significanceof the findings obtained with veratridine and tetrodotoxin (TTX) in the genesis of currentmodels of O2-sensing.
PB Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
SN 1660-3397
YR 2011
FD 2011
LK http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/6852
UL http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/6852
LA eng
NO Marine Drugs, 9(2011) 2683-2704
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 29-abr-2024