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Serotonin neurons and central respiratory chemoreception: where are we now?
Book chapter   Open access   Peer reviewed

Serotonin neurons and central respiratory chemoreception: where are we now?

Frida A Teran, Cory A Massey and George B Richerson
The Central Nervous System Control of Respiration, Vol.209, pp.207-233
Progress in brain research, 209, Elsevier
2014
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63274-6.00011-4
PMCID: PMC4486262
PMID: 24746050
url
http://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63274-6.00011-4View
Open Access

Abstract

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) neurons are widely considered to play an important role in central respiratory chemoreception. Although many studies in the past decades have supported this hypothesis, there had been concerns about its validity until recently. One recurring claim had been that 5-HT neurons are not consistently sensitive to hypercapnia in vivo. Another belief was that 5-HT neurons do not stimulate breathing; instead, they inhibit or modulate respiratory output. It was also believed by some that 5-HT neuron chemosensitivity is dependent on TASK channels, but mice with genetic deletion of TASK-1 and TASK-3 have a normal hypercapnic ventilatory response. This review explains why these principal arguments against the hypothesis are not supported by existing data. Despite repeated challenges, a large body of evidence now supports the conclusion that at least a subset of 5-HT neurons are central chemoreceptors.
Respiratory Physiological Phenomena Chemoreceptor Cells - physiology Animals Serotonergic Neurons - physiology Humans Respiratory Center - physiology

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