Responses of slowly and rapidly adapting receptors in the airways of rabbits to changes in the Starling forces.

1. The responses of the rapidly adapting receptors (RARs) and the slowly adapting receptors (SARs) of the airways to changes in the Starling forces regulating fluid exchange in the pulmonary extravascular space were investigated in anaesthetized rabbits. The hydrostatic pressure in the pulmonary microvasculature was raised by partial obstruction of the mitral valve (mean left atrial pressure increased by approximately 5 and 10 mmHg above the control values) and the concentration of plasma proteins was reduced by plasmapheresis (the total plasma protein concentration reduced by 18%). 2. There was a significant correlation between the action potentials generated by RARs and mean left atrial pressure (n = 12). A similar response was not observed in SARs (n = 12). 3. After plasmapheresis, there was an increase in the resting activity of the RARs (n = 5). In addition, the stimulus-response curve relating mean left atrial pressure and RAR activity was significantly shifted to the left compared to the one elicited before plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis failed to influence the activity of SARs (n = 5). 4. Obstruction of the pulmonary lymph flow by raising the afterload in the right external jugular vein caused a significant increase in the activity of RARs (n = 6). This response was also maintained during the entire period of lymphatic obstruction. 5. The results show that manipulation of the Starling forces within the lung influences the RAR activity profoundly. It is suggested that the stimulus for the RARs may be a function of the fluid fluxes in the pulmonary extravascular space.