EYZAGUIRRE Biol Res 38, 2005, 341-345 341 Biol Res 38: 341-345, 2005 BR Chemical and electric transmission in the carotid body chemoreceptor complex CARLOS EYZAGUIRRE Department of Physiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Research Park, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA ABSTRACT Carotid body chemoreceptors are complex secondary receptors. There are chemical and electric connections between glomus cells (GC/GC) and between glomus cells and carotid nerve endings (GC/NE). Chemical secretion of glomus cells is accompanied by GC/GC uncoupling. Chemical GC/NE transmission is facilitated by concomitant electric coupling. Chronic hypoxia reduces GC/GC coupling but increases G/NE coupling. Therefore, carotid body chemoreceptors use chemical and electric transmission mechanisms to trigger and change the sensory discharge in the carotid nerve. Key terms: carotid body, chemosensory activity, glomus cells. The subject of this short review is highly Years later, with the advent of the appropriate since we are honoring Prof. electron microscope, it was found that the Patricio Zapata who has been a pioneer in glomus cells were connected synaptically this field and has done extensive to the carotid nerve endings (for refs. see pharmacological studies on chemical Mc Donald, 1981; Verna, 1997). Then, the synaptic transmission in the carotid body. problems started because of the location of Dr. Zapata is an excellent scientist and clear core synaptic vesicles. At the time, teacher, and I dearly value him as a friend these structures were supposed to be a and colleague. marker of pre-synaptic elements, and in the carotid body, they appeared some times in the glomus cells but very often in NATURE OF THE CAROTID BODY INNERVATION carotid nerve endings. Furthermore, Neil and O’Regan (1971), in physiological The principal histological structures in the experiments, found an efferent pathway carotid body are the glomus cells that are traveling in the carotid nerve. innervated by fibers of the carotid nerve. De Consequently, the sensory innervation of Castro (1926) proposed that the innervation the carotid body came into question, and of the glomus cells was sensory, since section this culminated with the ablation of the carotid nerve led to degeneration of the experiments of Biscoe et al. (1970), in carotid nerve fibers, whereas section of the which they indicated that the synaptic motor roots did not. The sensory nature of the innervation of glomus cells was efferent. carotid nerve fibers was reinforced by The afferent innervation of the organ was physiological experiments, since section of relegated to loose nerve fibers in the this nerve prevented respiratory reflexes stroma. originating from the carotid body-sinus area At this point, the intervention of Prof. (Heymans and Neil, 1958; Anichkov and Zapata was crucial. Hess and Zapata Belen’kii, 1963). (1972), in a seminal study, carefully Corresponding author: Department of Physiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Research Park, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108-1297, USA, Tel: (1-801) 581-6354, Fax: (1-801) 581-3476, E-mail: [email protected] Received: June 9, 2005. Accepted: June 15, 2005. 342 EYZAGUIRRE Biol Res 38, 2005, 341-345 repeated de Castro’s nerve surgery and used Chemical release from a stimulated morphological (light and electron carotid body was first demonstrated by microscopy) and physiological techniques Eyzaguirre et al. (1965) using a Loewi-type to study normal and operated animal preparation, which consisted of two carotid specimens. Their results definitely bodies in series in a narrow channel through confirmed de Castro’s results and which flowed physiological solution established without doubt that the major bathing both organs. Stimulation of the innervation of the carotid body is sensory. upstream organ induced changes in the Many other investigators working on carotid nerve discharges of the downstream different mammalian species confirmed preparation. Dr. Zapata performed their results. The efferent innervation pharmacological tests showing that the originally described by Neil and O’Regan downstream organ was responding to ACh appeared to be confined to unmyelinated released from the upstream preparation fibers in the carotid nerve (Fidone and Sato, (Eyzaguirre and Zapata, 1968). More 1970) going to innervate blood vessels in recently, Fitzgerald and his group also have the carotid body (Belmonte and Eyzaguirre, shown ACh release from the carotid body 1974) during hypoxic and hypercapnic stimulation (Fitzgerald, 2000). The studies previously mentioned have CHEMICAL TRANSMISSION BETWEEN GLOMUS been conducted in cat carotid bodies, and in CELLS AND CAROTID NERVE ENDINGS this species, it seems likely that excitatory transmission is cholinergic with dopamine There have been several hypotheses playing an inhibitory role (Zapata, 1997b; (metabolic, acidic, transmitter, etc.) in the Varas et al., 2003; Iturriaga and Alcayaga, attempt to explain the onset of discharges in 2004). A different story occurs in rabbit the carotid nerve (Heymans and Neil, 1958; carotid body chemoreceptors, where the Anichkov and Belen’kii. 1963). Nowadays, bulk of physiological and biochemical we accept parts of the acidic and metabolic evidence points out that DA is the hypotheses, since there are useful elements excitatory transmitter, whereas ACh is in each one. However, the most accepted inhibitory (Monti-Bloch and Eyzaguirre, idea today is that there is chemical 1980; Gonzalez et al., 1994; Zapata, transmission across the glomus cell-nerve 1997b). There is relatively little ending junctions. This is an operational information about rat carotid body idea that does not tell us what mechanisms receptors, but it seems that in this species, are involved in transmitter production and excitatory transmission also is cholinergic release. We know little about these (Zhang et al., 2000). However, the jury is mechanisms. still out. The first indications that the sensory ACh and dopamine are not the only junction in the carotid body was chemical actors in chemosensory synaptic derived from two observations. One was the transmission. Glomus cells contain, in detection, under the electron microscope, of addition, several compounds whose dark core granules in the glomus cells; the concentration changes during hypoxia, and other was the finding that glomus cells some of them are released from the cells. contained catecholamines, especially These are: serotonin (5-HT), enkephalins, dopamine, detected with the Falk-Hillarp prostaglandins, ATP, substance P, and technique for the light microscope. peptides (cholecystokinins, atrial natriuretic Acetylcholine (ACh) was also found in peptide-ANP). Hypoxia produces several carotid body tissue in normal and changes. 1) It increases intracellular cAMP, chronically denervated organs (Eyzaguirre while decreasing cGMP. 2) It releases ATP et al., 1965, Fidone et al., 1976; Gual and from the dark core granules, which turns Marsal, 1987). These early findings have into adenosine by ectonucleotidases. This been amply confirmed and expanded by process may activate the cell membranes Fitzgerald’s group (2000). because of the presence of P1 purinergic EYZAGUIRRE Biol Res 38, 2005, 341-345 343 receptors for ATP and P2 for adenosine. 3) electric coupling between these elements It increases the synthesis of endogenous (GC/NE coupling). Also, injections of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which inhibits Lucifer Yellow into a glomus cell spreads inward calcium currents when exogenously to the nerve ending (Eyzaguirre et al., 2003; applied (for refs. see Zapata, 1997b). Jiang and Eyzaguirre, 2003a, b). GC/NE These findings lead us to consider that coupling is mostly unidirectional, from the pre-synaptic element of the glomus cell to nerve ending, since coupling chemosensory synapse is the glomus cell. in the opposite direction – from nerve to The chemical contents of these cells seem cell (NE/GC) – is minimal. to be almost the same in all species. There are no pharmacological However, the post-synaptic membranes of experiments testing the effects of acute the nerve endings seem to differ depending hypoxia, hypercapnia, acidity or on the animal species. Another transmitters on glomus cell-nerve ending consideration is that the synapses may not coupling. However, chronic hypoxia be solely unidirectional, since afferent increases this type of coupling. impulses in the carotid nerve may cross the junction and affect transmitter release. It should be remembered that McDonald CONCLUSIONS (1981) has described synapses oriented from nerve to cell. Nevertheless, as shown The carotid body is a very complex sensory below, available physiological evidence receptor that, most likely, generates the does not support this possibility. sensory discharge by chemical and electric transmission across the chemosensory junction. ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION BETWEEN GLOMUS We have suggested that stimulated and CELLS AND BETWEEN GLOMUS CELLS AND NERVE secreting glomus cells uncouple during this ENDINGS process (Eyzaguirre and Abudara, 1999), as occurs in exocrine glands. We are now There are gap junctions between glomus proposing that chemical transmission across cells (McDonald, 1981; Abudara et al., the glomus cell-nerve ending junction is 1999) and similar connections have been aided by electric coupling between these described between glomus cells and carotid structures. This assumption is based on the nerve endings (Kondo and Iwasa, 1996). fact that chronic hypoxia increases GC/NE However, later on, Kondo (2002)