Glomus cells in the carotid body respond to decreases in @entity26 tension of the blood and transmit this sensory information in the carotid sinus nerve to the brain via neurons in the @entity10266 . G-protein-coupled membrane receptors linked to phospholipase C may play an important role in this response through the activation of the cation channels formed by the transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins. In the present study, expression of TRPC proteins in the @entity35 carotid body and @entity10266 was examined using immunohistochemical techniques. @entity58919 , @entity6934 , @entity66246 , @entity57991 , and @entity66247 were present in neurons throughout the ganglion. @entity32781 was expressed in only 28% of petrosal neurons, and of this population, 45% were @entity669 hydroxylase (TH)-positive, accounting for essentially all the TH-expressing neurons in the ganglion. Because TH-positive neurons project to the carotid body, this result suggests that @entity32781 is selectively associated with the chemosensory pathway. Confocal images through the carotid body showed that @entity32781 /3/4/5/6 proteins localize to the carotid sinus nerve fibers, some of which were immunoreactive to an anti-neurofilament (NF) antibody cocktail. @entity32781 and @entity58919 were present in both NF-positive and NF-negative fibers, whereas TPRC4, @entity66246 , and @entity57991 expression was primarily localized to NF-negative fibers. Only @entity32781 and @entity6934 were localized in the afferent nerve terminals that encircle individual glomus cells. @entity66247 was not expressed in sensory fibers. All the TRPC proteins studied were present in type I glomus cells. Although their role as receptor-activated cation channels in the chemosensory pathway is yet to be established, the presence of TRPC channels in glomus cells and sensory nerves of the carotid body suggests a role in facilitating and/or sustaining the @entity519 response.

Distribution of transient receptor potential channels in the XXXX carotid chemosensory pathway.

@entity6934 :: ('84494(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC4'] @entity26 :: ('MESH:D010100', 'Chemical') :: ['oxygen'] @entity10266 :: ('MESH:D059270', 'Disease') :: ['petrosal ganglion'] @entity57991 :: ('89823(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC6'] @entity66246 :: ('140933(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC5'] @entity519 :: ('MESH:D000860', 'Disease') :: ['hypoxic'] @entity58919 :: ('60395(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC3'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rat'] @entity32781 :: ('89821(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC1'] @entity669 :: ('CHEBI:18186', 'Chemical') :: ['tyrosine'] @entity66247 :: ('282822(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['TRPC7']
@entity35 :: (10116,Species) :: ['rat']
