Aortic body chemoreceptor responses to changes in PCO2 and PO2 in the cat

Responses of aortic chemoreceptor afferents to a range of arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco2) changes at various levels of arterial oxygen tension (Pao2) were investigated in 18 cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose and maintained at 38 degrees C. Aortic chemoreceptor activity, end-tidal oxygen pressure, end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure, and arterial blood pressure were continuously monitored. Arterial blood gases were measured in steady states. Single or a few clearly identifiable afferents were studied during changes and steady states of Pao2 and Paco2. All the aortic chemoreceptor afferent discharge rates increased with Paco2 increases from hypercapnia (10-15 Torr) to normocapnia and moderate hypercapnia (30-50 Torr) and with Pao2 decreases from above 400 to 30 Torr. Hypoxia augmented the response to Paco2 most effectively in the range of 10-40 Torr. At any Pao2, the discharge rate reached a plateau with sufficient intensity of hypercapnia. The Paco2 stimulus threshold at a Pao2 of 440 Torr was about 15 Torr, and at a Pao2 of 60 Torr it was 10 Torr. In the transition from hypocapnia to hypercapnia, responses increased gradually, usually without an overshoot. The steady-state responses to Paco2 of the majority of aortic chemoreceptors resembled those of carotid chemoreceptors. The responses of both receptors can be attributed to the same basic type of mechanism.