Carotid baroreceptor control of liver and spleen volume in cats

We tested the hypothesis that the blood volumes of the spleen and liver of cats are reflexly controlled by the carotid sinus (CS) baroreceptors. In pentobarbital-anesthetized cats the CS area was isolated and perfused so that intracarotid pressure (Pcs) could be controlled while maintaining a normal brain blood perfusion. The volume changes of the liver and spleen were estimated by measuring their thickness using ultrasonic techniques. Cardiac output, systemic arterial blood pressure (Psa), central venous pressure, central blood volume, total peripheral resistance, and heart rate were also measured. In vagotomized cats, increasing Pcs by 100 mmHg caused a significant reduction in Psa (-67.8%), cardiac output (-26.6%), total peripheral resistance (-49.5%), and heart rate (-15%) and significantly increased spleen volume (9.7%, corresponding to a 2.1 +/- 0.5 mm increase in thickness). The liver volume decreased, but only by 1.6% (0.6 +/- 0.2 mm decrease in thickness), a change opposite that observed in the spleen. The changes in cardiovascular variables and in spleen volume suggest that the animals had functioning reflexes. These results indicate that in pentobarbital-anesthetized cats the carotid baroreceptors affect the volume of the spleen but not the liver and suggest that, although the spleen has an active role in the control of arterial blood pressure in the cat, the liver does not.