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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 Aug 31.
Published in final edited form as: Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2009 Aug 31;168(1-2):69–75. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2009.03.011

Figure 2. Gasping depends on activation of 5-HT2A serotonergic receptors.

Figure 2

1a- Schema of a transverse slice preparation containing the PreBötzinger Complex (650 µM thick slice, the potassium concentration raised at 8mM). Respiratory rhythmic activity is obtained with a suction electrode positioned on the surface of the slice in the area of the nucleus ambiguous (i.e., dorsal to the PBC).

The isolated respiratory network is capable of generating multiple rhythmic inspiratory-like population bursts under normoxic (slice bubbled with 95% O2-5% CO2) conditions that correspond to fictive eupnea (in red) and fictive sighs (in blue).

1b- Under hypoxic conditions (slice bubbled with 95% N2-5% CO2, in grey) the isolated respiratory network generates fictive gasps.

1c- Under hypoxic conditions (slice bubbled with 95% N2-5% CO2, in grey), blockade of 5-HT2A serotonergic receptors (piperidin) abolished gasping in vitro.