Ventilatory responses to respiratory and metabolic acid-base disturbances in cats

To determine the relative importance of the peripheral and central chemoreceptors in the ventilatory response to acute metabolic acid-base disturbances we measured the normoxic ventilatory response to acute respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis in 10 chloralose-urethane anesthetized cats using a technique of vertebral artery perfusion that allows one to independently manipulate the PaCO2, PaO2 and the H+ concentration of the blood in the systemic circulation (peripheral) and the blood perfusing the brain stem (central) (Berkenbosch et al., 1979). The ventilation could be satisfactorily described by a linear function of the peripheral and central arterial H+ concentration and the central PaCO2. Mean values (+/- SEM) found for the peripheral arterial H+ sensitivity and the isocapnic central arterial H+ sensitivity were 26.0 +/- 3.2 and 12.7 +/- 1.8 ml X min-1 X nM-1, respectively; the isohydric central arterial CO2 sensitivity was 545.9 +/- 96.7 ml X min-1 X kPa-1. We conclude that in the ventilatory response to an acute metabolic acid-base disturbance both the peripheral and central chemoreceptors play a role. However, the sensitivity of the peripheral chemoreceptors to isocapnic changes in the arterial H+ concentration is twice as large as the sensitivity of the central chemoreceptors. It is argued that in the adaptation of the ventilation to an acute metabolic acidosis the stimulatory effect of the peripheral chemoreceptors is counteracted by a diminished stimulation of the central chemoreceptors.