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. 1966 Jul;185(1):78–94. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007973

The respiratory response of the new-born lamb to inhaled CO2 with and without accompanying hypoxia*

M J Purves
PMCID: PMC1395882  PMID: 5965899

Abstract

1. The respiratory response to inhaled CO2 was measured in twenty unanaesthetized new-born lambs aged 4 hr-10 days. Measurement of resting arterial pH, PCO2 and plasma bicarbonate showed a non-respiratory acidosis immediately after birth which was corrected in the first 24-28 hr: thereafter, the acid—base pattern was of a compensated respiratory alkalosis.

2. When CO2 was added to the inspired gases and resting arterial oxygen tension (Pa, O2) was controlled, the average increase in minute ventilation (V̇) was 0·075 l.min-1.kg-1.mm Hg, Pa, CO2-1 and duplicate responses in the same lamb differed by 6-22·5%.

3. The slope of the V̇/Pa, CO2 line (S) varied inversely with Pa, O2. In one lamb, severe hypoxia (Pa, O2 = 21 mm Hg) caused a marked depression of the slope.

4. Neither the slope S nor the horizontal intercept B of the lines was related to the age of the lamb. B was not related to pHa and only slightly affected by acute hypoxia. B was related to arterial [HCO3-] and values for both were reduced with the acid—base disturbances seen in the first 10 days after birth. Evidence was given which suggested that the response of the new-born lamb to inhaled CO2 was similar to that of man acclimatized to a Pa, O2 of 70-75 mm Hg.

5. In the lightly anaesthetized lamb, bilateral section of the sinus nerves caused a small reduction in the sensitivity to inhaled 5% CO2 in air, an increase in the respiratory lag and a reduction in the rate at which V̇ increased.

6. It was concluded that, in the new-born lamb, the carotid chemo-receptors are involved in the response to inhaled CO2 and that hypoxia potentiates this response.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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