Presence of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cat carotid body afferentsystem

With immunocytochemical techniques using a monoclonal antibody for alpha 7 subunits of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, we have found these subunits to be exclusively expressed in nerve fibers in the carotid body. Double-immunostaining showed that alpha 7 subunit-positive nerve endings en veloped tyrosine hydroxylase-positive glomus cells. Some carotid sinus nerv e fibers and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive petrosal ganglion neurons also e xpressed alpha 7 subunits. These data support a role for acetylcholine in c arotid body neurotransmission. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.