The distribution of thoracic glomus tissue (aortic bodies) in the rat

An inventory of the distribution of thoracic glomus tissue (thoracic chemoreceptor tissue, aortic bodies) has been derived from serial sections in foetal, newborn and adult rats. In contrast to other common experimental species, such as the cat and dog, aortic bodies are an inconstant feature and, on the whole, are scarce in the rat. These morphological findings correlate well with experimental studies, indicating an absence or paucity of thoracic chemoreceptor activity in the rat. The results are discussed in terms of their physiological and pathophysiological implications and a revised model of the peripheral arterial chemoreceptor system is presented.