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Low glucose–sensing cells in the carotid body

Abstract

Decreased plasma glucose concentration elicits a complex neuroendocrine response that prevents or rapidly corrects hypoglycemia as required to preserve brain function1,2,3,4; however, where and how low glucose is sensed is unknown4,5,6. Here we show that low glucose increases secretion from glomus cells in the carotid bodies, sensory organs whose stimulation by hypoxia produces sympathetic activation, by a process that depends on extracellular Ca2+ influx and is paralleled by inhibition of voltage-gated K+ channels. We propose a new glucose-sensing role for the carotid body glomus cell that serves to integrate information about blood glucose and O2 levels and to activate counterregulatory responses.

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Figure 1: Secretory response of rat glomus cells to low glucose.
Figure 2: Increase in sensitivity to glucose in low PO2.
Figure 3: Low glucose-induced extracellular Ca2+ influx and inhibition of voltage-gated outward K+ currents.

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Acknowledgements

We thank A. Alvarez-Buylla, P. Ortega-Sáenz, G. Gasic and A. Konnerth. Research was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (1FD97-1614) and Fundaciones La Caixa and Ramón Areces. J.L.-B. received the “Ayuda a la investigación 2000” of the Juan March Foundation.

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Correspondence to José López-Barneo.

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Pardal, R., López-Barneo, J. Low glucose–sensing cells in the carotid body. Nat Neurosci 5, 197–198 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn812

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