Electrical communication between glomus cells of the rat carotid body

Glomus cells of rat carotid bodies can be electrotonically coupled. This was determined by simultaneous intracellular recording and stimulation of two neighboring cells. Voltage applied into one cell (V1), was detected in the other cell as E2. The ratio E2/V1 or coupling coefficient (KC), varied from 0.003 to 1. R0 or input resistance (24.1-3,500 M omega), was calculated from the voltage elicited in the injected cell by current injection (V1/I1). The coupling resistance (RC) was estimated by using Bennett's model and was inversely related to KC. It ranged from 8.5 to 46,112 M omega. Values for KC are provisional since we may not have always recorded from immediately adjacent cells. Similarly, calculations of R0 and RC may not be accurate since, in all probability, there is a multicellular network. Stimulation by hypoxia (100% N2 or Na2S2O4), acidity (lactic acid or 100% CO2), dopamine, ACh, nicotine and bethanechol depolarized the majority of glomus cells, their input resistance decreased and cells became uncoupled. Fewer cells were either unaffected or coupling increased. There was a significant and negative correlation between changes in coupling coefficient and in coupling resistance.