Effects of changes in chemoreceptor activity on extracellular K+ and Ca2+ activities in the cat carotid body

In anaesthetized, paralysed and artificially ventilated cats triple-barrelled ion-selective microelectrodes (ISMs) were inserted into the right carotid body in order to measure extracellular activities of K+ ([K+]o) and Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) simultaneously. In 3 experiments a method involving iron deposition located the tips of the ISMs in the cellular islands of the organ. A thin cannula inserted into the right carotid artery (i.c.) via the lingual artery was used to infuse Ringer-Locke solutions (0.1-0.5 ml/min) containing either sodium cyanide (NaCN), acetylcholine (ACh) or dopamine (DA). Analysis of the effects of administration of NaCN (20-100 micrograms/min i.c.) showed that during this procedure [K+]o increased and [Ca2+]o decreased by mean values (+/- S.D.) of 0.99 +/- 0.82 and 0.22 +/- 0.06 mM respectively. During administration of ACh (20-50 micrograms/min i.c.) [K+]o increased and [Ca2+]o decreased respectively by mean values (+/- S.D.) of 3.18 +/- 3.0 and 0.31 +/- 0.14 mM. Decreases in [K+]o and [Ca2+]o by mean values (+/- S.D.) of 1.53 +/- 1.64 and 0.34 +/- 0.33 mM respectively were associated with administration of DA (20-50 micrograms/min i.c.). The predominant influences exerted by NaCN and ACh on chemoreceptor activity were excitatory whereas administration of DA caused either inhibition, excitation or a combination of these two effects. Stimulation of the sympathetic supply to the carotid body was associated with either increases, decreases or no reaction of chemosensory activity, [K+]o and [Ca2+]o. The changes in [K+]o associated with the various procedures may reflect the state of polarization within the chemoreceptor complex. Decreases in [Ca2+]o usually accompanied the performance of all procedures and may have resulted from an increased influx of this ion from the interstitial fluids into the cells for the purpose of provoking neurotransmitter release. However, the time course of the changes in [K+]o and [Ca2+]o were considerably slower in onset and recovery than the associated alterations in chemoreceptor activity. Therefore, it is unlikely that these ion changes are directly related to chemoreception but rather represent recovery processes after chemoreceptor modulation. It should be noted that the response times of the ISMs used in this study were too slow to register any rapid changes in [K+]o or [Ca2+]o associated with altered chemoreceptor activity.