Responses of single-unit carotid body chemoreceptors in adult rats

1. Our goal was to describe the in situ responses in rats of single-unit carotid body chemoreceptors to changes in arterial PO2 and PCO2. We identified single-unit carotid chemoreceptor activity in male, adult Sprague-Dawley rats by their rapid responses to i.v. NaCN (20 microg) and transient (10 s) asphyxia. 2. Single-unit chemoreceptor responses to isocapnic changes in oxygenation within the arterial oxygen pressure range 34-114 mmHg were described by the power function: f(dis) = 74010(Pa,O2)-2.5; (r2 = 0.6), where f(dis) is the discharge frequency (spikes s-1), P(a,O2) is the arterial oxygen partial pressure (mmHg) and r2 is the correlation coefficient. 3. The responses to iso-oxic changes in CO2, assumed to be linear, had a slope of 0.089 spikes s-1 (mmHg Pa,CO2)-1 (r2 = 0.7). 4. We conclude that carotid body chemoreceptors in adult rats have responses to changes in Pa,O2 and Pa,CO2 similar to those of other species.