Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 68, Issue 5 1997-2005, Copyright © 1990 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Rapidly adapting receptors monitor lung compliance in spontaneously breathing dogs

T. E. Pisarri, A. Jonzon, J. C. Coleridge and H. M. Coleridge
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0130.

We examined the ability of rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) to monitor changes in dynamic lung compliance (Cdyn) in anesthetized spontaneously breathing dogs by recording RAR impulses from the vagus nerves. We decreased Cdyn in steps through the physiological range by briefly restricting lung expansion with an inflatable cuff around the chest and recording the response after deflating the cuff; we restored Cdyn to control by hyperinflating the lungs. Of 45 RARs, 34 were stimulated by a 40 +/- 2% reduction in Cdyn, their inspiratory discharge increasing on average more than threefold. Two-thirds of responsive RARs were stimulated by less than or equal to 20% reductions in Cdyn; in most, firing increased proportionately with lung stiffness (1/Cdyn) as Cdyn was decreased further. Stimulation by reduced Cdyn was not simply a function of the concomitant increase in transpulmonary pressure, because similar increases in pressure produced by increasing tidal volume produced smaller increases in firing. RAR stimulation was unaffected by atropine and, hence, was not dependent on neurally mediated changes in bronchomotor tone. Our results indicate that during spontaneous breathing RARs provide a signal inversely proportional to Cdyn.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Taylor-Clark and B. J. Undem Transduction mechanisms in airway sensory nerves J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2006; 101(3): 950 - 959. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. W. Zhang, J. F. Walker, J. Guardiola, and J. Yu Pulmonary sensory and reflex responses in the mouse J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2006; 101(3): 986 - 992. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Dybas, C. J. Andresen, E. S. Schelegle, R. W. McCue, N. N. Callender, and A. C. Jackson Deep-breath frequency in bronchoconstricted monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2006; 100(3): 786 - 791. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Lalani, J. E. Remmers, Y. MacKinnon, G. T. Ford, and S. U. Hasan Hypoxemia and low Crs in vagally denervated lambs result from reduced lung volume and not pulmonary edema J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2002; 93(2): 601 - 610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. B. Mazzone and B. J. Canning Synergistic interactions between airway afferent nerve subtypes mediating reflex bronchospasm in guinea pigs Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, July 1, 2002; 283(1): R86 - R98. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Canning, S. M. Reynolds, and S. B. Mazzone Multiple mechanisms of reflex bronchospasm in guinea pigs J Appl Physiol, December 1, 2001; 91(6): 2642 - 2653. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Brown, J. Stocks, C. Aun, and P. S. Rabbette The Hering-Breuer reflex in anesthetized infants: end-inspiratory vs. end-expiratory occlusion technique J Appl Physiol, April 1, 1998; 84(4): 1437 - 1446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]