Modulation of pulmonary stretch receptors and airway resistance by parasympathetic efferents

Recording from pulmonary stretch receptors in the intact cervical vagus nerve revealed a novel interaction between stretch receptors and smooth muscle in the lungs of anesthetized paralyzed cats. Firing rates of pulmonary stretch receptors were modulated in step with the inflation-deflation cycle of the mechanical respirator, as expected. Firing rates of most slowly adapting receptors, but not rapidly adapting receptors, were also strongly modulated in step with the phrenic nerve activity even when the respirator was turned off and the cat motionless. The modulation of some receptors' firing rates by the inspiratory motor output was as great as the change in firing-rate in response to a lung inflation of 20 ml of air (one tidal volume). Atropine blocked the inspiratory-related modulation of slowly adapting/receptor firing rates; it did not block the inflation-related modulation. Pulmonary resistance was modulated in step with the inspiratory activity on the phrenic nerve. Hyperventilation to neural apnea (no phrenic nerve activity) reduced pulmonary resistance to its lowest level, a level equal to that produced by an injection of isoproterenol or atropine. Hypoxia during hypocapnic apnea caused bursts of inspiratory activity on the phrenic nerve accompanied by one-to-one increases in airway resistance. We conclude that the intrathoracic airway smooth muscle contracts with each neural inspiration, that the modulation of the pulmonary stretch receptors is due to a mechanical interaction with the intrathoracic airway smooth muscle, and that through the mechanical link with airway smooth muscle, stretch receptor sensitivity depends on inspiratory output, a closed loop.