Voltage-gated K+ channels in chemoreceptor sensory neurons of rat petrosalganglion

A subpopulation of sensory neurons in the petrosal ganglion transmits infor mation between peripheral chemoreceptors (glomus cells) in the carotid body and relay neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract. Expression of volt age-gated K+ channels in these neurons was characterized by immunohistochem ical localization. Five members of the Kv1 family, Kv1.1, Kv1.2, Kv1.4, Kv1 .5 and Kv1.6 and members of two other families, Kv2.1 and Kv4.3, were ident ified in over 90% of the chemoreceptor neurons. Although the presence of th ese channel proteins was consistent throughout the population, individual n eurons showed considerable variation in K+ current profiles. (C) 2001 Publi shed by Elsevier Science B.V.