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Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Experimental Approach to Examine Leptin Signaling in the Carotid Bodies and its Effects on Control of Breathing
Published on: October 25, 2019
The Carotid Body Does Not Mediate the Acute Ventilatory Effects of Leptin
E Olea1, M J Ribeiro, T Gallego-Martin
1Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Physiology, Medicine School, University of Valladolid and IBGM/CSIC, Valladolid, Spain, olea@ibgm.uva.es.
Abstract:
Leptin is a hormone produced mostly in adipose tissue and playing a key role in the control of feeding and energy expenditure aiming to maintain a balance between food intake and metabolic activity. In recent years, it has been described that leptin might also contributes to control ventilation as the administration of the hormone reverses the hypoxia and hypercapnia commonly encountered in ob/ob mice which show absence of the functional hormone. In addition, it has been shown that the carotid body (CB) of the rat expresses leptin as well as the functional leptin-B receptor. Therefore, the possibility exists that the ventilatory effects of leptin are mediated by the CB chemoreceptors. In the experiments described below we confirm the stimulatory effect of leptin on ventilation, finding additionally that the CB does not mediate the instant to instant control of ventilation.
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