Role of central and peripheral chemoreceptors in diving responses of ducks

Using techniques of vascular isolation and subsequent perfusion we have investigated the effects of altering blood gas tensions, in the cerebral and carotid body circulations, on some cardiovascular responses to diving in unanesthetized ducks. After denervating the right carotid body, perfusion of the innervated left carotid body with hyperoxic blood significantly reduced diving bradycardia and reduced the increase in hindlimb vascular resistance (HLVR) in 1-min dives compared with dives in which the innervated carotid body was autoperfused. Denervation of systemic arterial baroreceptors reduced the fall in heart rate (HR) and increased the rise in HLVR in all dives. Cross-perfusion of the head, from a donor with blood of normal blood gas tensions, did not significantly affect HR or HLVR in 2-min dives compared with dives in which the head was autoperfused. however, cross-perfusing the cerebral circulation with blood of elevated PaCO2 caused significantly greater increases in HLVR than when high PaCO2 only affected the peripheral circulation. We conclude that peripheral chemoreceptors cause virtually all the bradycardia in the later stages of a dive but only about one-half the increase in HLVR, a significant contribution comes from the stimulation of central chemoreceptors with blood of high PaCO2.