HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free All Versions of this Article: 101/2/628    most recent 00155.2006v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Widdicombe, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Widdicombe, J.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

HIGHLIGHTED TOPIC
Reflexes of the Lung and Airways

Reflexes from the lungs and airways: historical perspective

University of London, London, United Kingdom

Historical aspects of respiratory reflexes from the lungs and airways are reviewed, up until about 10 yr ago. For most of the 19th century, the possible reflex inputs into the "respiratory center," the position of which had been identified, were very speculative. There was little concept of reflex control of the pattern of breathing. Then, in 1868, Breuer published his paper on "The self-steering of respiration via the Nervus Vagus." For the first time this established the role of vagal inflation and deflation reflexes in determining the pattern of breathing. Head later extended Breuer’s work, and Kratschmer laid a similar basis for reflexes from the nose and larynx. Then, 50–60 yr later, the development of the thermionic valve and the oscilloscope allowed recording action potentials from single nerve fibers in the vagus. In 1933, Adrian showed that slowly adapting pulmonary stretch receptors were responsible for the inflation reflex. Later, Knowlton and Larrabee described rapidly adapting receptors and showed that they mediated deep augmented breaths and the deflation reflex. Still later, it was established that rapidly adapting receptors were, at least in part, responsible for cough. In 1954, Paintal began his study of C-fiber receptors (J receptors), work greatly extended by the Coleridges. Since 10 yr ago, when the field of this review stops, there has been an explosion of research on lung and airway receptors, many aspects of which are dealt with in other papers in this series.

inflation reflex; deflation reflex; C-fiber reflexes; larynx; tracheobronchial tree

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Dutschmann, M. Mörschel, I. A. Rybak, and T. E. Dick Learning to breathe: control of the inspiratory\#8211;expiratory phase transition shifts from sensory- to central-dominated during postnatal development in rats J. Physiol., October 15, 2009; 587(20): 4931 - 4948. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. M. MacDonald, C. Tin, G. Song, and C.-S. Poon Use-dependent learning and memory of the Hering\#8211;Breuer inflation reflex in rats Exp Physiol, February 1, 2009; 94(2): 269 - 278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. S. Moreira, A. C. Takakura, E. Colombari, and P. G. Guyenet Activation of 5-Hydroxytryptamine Type 3 Receptor-Expressing C-Fiber Vagal Afferents Inhibits Retrotrapezoid Nucleus Chemoreceptors in Rats J Neurophysiol, December 1, 2007; 98(6): 3627 - 3637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]