Carotid body: Hypoxic drive

The carotid bodies are chemosensitive cells at the bifurcation of the common carotid that respond to changes in oxygen tension and, to a lesser extent, pH. in contrast to central chemoreceptors, which primarily respond to PaCO2 and the aortic bodies [output via cn X], which have primarily circulatory effects (bradycardia, hypertension, adrenal stimulation, and also bronchoconstriction), carotid bodies are most sensitive to PaO2. [More…]