Calcium influx in cultured carotid body cells is stimulated by acetylcholine and hypoxia.

Calcium influx was measured in cultured carotid body and glioma cells. In carotid body cells stimulation with acetylcholine (ACh, 10(-5) mol/l) increased the calcium influx to 135% of control values after 1 min and to 163% after 30 min. With a reduction of the pO2 to nearly zero calcium influx increased to 170% of control values. In glioma cells there was only a slight or no increase. This sensitivity of carotid body cells is discussed in relation to their function in chemoreception.