5-HT5a receptors in the carotid body chemoreception pathway of rat

By using a specific antibody, 5-HT5a receptor-like immunoreactivity was rev ealed in the chemoreceptive, oxygen sensitive, carotid body (CB) type I cel ls, and neurons of the petrosal ganglion (PG) and the superior cervical gan glion (SCG) in rat. mRNA encoding for the 5-HT5a receptor was also detected in these tissues by RT-PCR, and confirmed with DNA sequencing. The present study provides direct evidence that 5-HT5a receptors are expressed in the CB, PG and SCG, which all likely play fundamental roles in arterial chemore ception. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.