Biomaterial Database

Responses of cat's internal intercostal motor units to hypercapnia and lung inflation. 1983

H Arita, and B Bishop

Single motor unit potentials from the eighth internal intercostal (IIC) muscle were recorded along with tracheal pressure and end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2) in spontaneously breathing, Dial-urethane anesthetized cats during hypercapnia (3, 5, or 7% CO2) and during lung inflation (LI, 100 ml above functional residual capacity) before and after vagotomy. Hypercapnia depressed IIC activity in 5 of 7 cats; the higher the PETCO2, the lower was the firing rate and the fewer the number of spikes per breath. LI evoked an initial silent phase (ISP) in 6 of 10 cats followed by a prolonged IIC burst. Hypercapnia combined with LI abolished or diminished the ISP and shortened the prolonged burst with an increase in firing rate and a recruitment of new units. Vagotomy silenced IIC activity in 7 of 10 cats, but LI after vagotomy activated IIC activity in 10 of 10 cats, though neither an ISP nor prolonged activity occurred. Our data suggest that major factors in controlling IIC activity are reciprocal inhibition from bulbospinal inspiratory neurons, excitatory and inhibitory inputs mediated by vagal afferents, and a modulation of IIC activity via gamma-loop. Hypercapnia affects the former two factors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007366	Intercostal Muscles	Respiratory muscles that arise from the lower border of one rib and insert into the upper border of the adjoining rib, and contract during inspiration or respiration. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Intercostal Muscle,Muscle, Intercostal,Muscles, Intercostal
D009046	Motor Neurons	Neurons which activate MUSCLE CELLS.	Neurons, Motor,Alpha Motorneurons,Motoneurons,Motor Neurons, Alpha,Neurons, Alpha Motor,Alpha Motor Neuron,Alpha Motor Neurons,Alpha Motorneuron,Motoneuron,Motor Neuron,Motor Neuron, Alpha,Motorneuron, Alpha,Motorneurons, Alpha,Neuron, Alpha Motor,Neuron, Motor
D012119	Respiration	The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration (	Breathing
D002245	Carbon Dioxide	A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals.	Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D003201	Computers	Programmable electronic devices designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.	Calculators, Programmable,Computer Hardware,Computers, Digital,Hardware, Computer,Calculator, Programmable,Computer,Computer, Digital,Digital Computer,Digital Computers,Programmable Calculator,Programmable Calculators
D006706	Homeostasis	The processes whereby the internal environment of an organism tends to remain balanced and stable.	Autoregulation
D006935	Hypercapnia	A clinical manifestation of abnormal increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in arterial blood.
D000200	Action Potentials	Abrupt changes in the membrane potential that sweep along the CELL MEMBRANE of excitable cells in response to excitation stimuli.	Spike Potentials,Nerve Impulses,Action Potential,Impulse, Nerve,Impulses, Nerve,Nerve Impulse,Potential, Action,Potential, Spike,Potentials, Action,Potentials, Spike,Spike Potential
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia