[Analysis of the mechanism of action of carbonic acid on tissue chemoreceptors].

Perfusion of the small intestine of anesthetized cats with a solution imitating metabolic acidosis (pH = 7.3; [HCO-3] = =20.2 mM; PCO2 = 38 mm Hg) produced a threshold reflex increase in the blood pressure. The subsequent decrease of [HCO-3] to 3.2 mM and pH to 6.5 evoked a gradual raise of the blood pressure followed by a sharp increase of pressor reflexes amplitude within the range of pH 6.5--6.3. Solutions imitating metabolic acidosis (pH = 7.1; [HCO-3] = 12.7 mM) were found to increase the concentration of H+ ions in the outflow perfusate and blood pressure to larger extent than solutions imitating respiratory acidosis (pH = 7.1; PCO2 = 75 mm Hg). If the solution pH was held constantly at 7.4 by simultaneous decreasing PCO2 and [HCO-3] by a factor of two, a reflex increase in the blood pressure and decrease of perfusate pH had no effect either on blood pressure or perfusate pH. The data obtained suggest that one of the primary determinants of different responses of the tissue chemoreceptors to CO2 is the interstitial pH.