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Role of the carotid body chemoreceptors in glucose homeostasis and thermoregulation in humans
Author(s) -
Joyner Michael J.,
Limberg Jacqueline K.,
Wehrwein Erica A.,
Johnson Blair D.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jp274354
Subject(s) - carotid body , chemoreceptor , thermoregulation , anatomy , homeostasis , sensory system , neuroscience , biology , glucose homeostasis , carotid arteries , medicine , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus , receptor , electrophysiology , insulin resistance
The carotid bodies (CBs) are multi‐modal sensory organs located bilaterally at the bifurcation of the carotid artery and innervated by the carotid sinus nerve (Hering's nerve), a branch of the IX cranial nerve. While the CBs (or embryologically analogous structures) are well known as the dominant oxygen‐sensing organ in vertebrates, in mammals there is evidence that the CBs may also sense glucose and temperature, and respond to circulating hormones and other factors. Additionally, the CBs likely participate in regulating baseline levels of sympathetic tone. In this brief review, we focus on the evolution of our efforts to understand ‘what else’ beyond oxygen sensing the CBs do in humans.