Response of muscular and cutaneous vessels to physiologic stimulation of chemoreceptors (38505).

Experiments were performed to determine whether physiologic stimulation of carotid chemoreceptors produces different responses in blood vessels of skin and muscle. Carotid chemoreceptors of anesthetized dogs were stimulated with hypoxic and hypercapnic blood and responses were observed in the isolated, perfused gracilis muscle and hindpaw. Chemoreceptor stimulation produced vasoconstriction in the muscle and vadodilatation in the paw (a predominantly cutaneous vascular bed). Responses to hypoxia without hypercapnic acidosis tended to be less pronounced. The study indicates that physiologic stimulation of carotid chemoreceptors produces contrasting responses in different vascular beds.