Anatomy

Control of respiration

Neuroscience

Receptor

Automaticity

Biology

Gene

Chemoreceptor

Central chemoreceptors

Cognition

Psychology

Respiration

Breathing

Regulator

Anesthesia

Biochemistry

Medicine

Trends in Neurosciences

The ventral surface of the rostral medulla oblongata has been suspected since the 1960s to harbor central respiratory chemoreceptors [i.e., acid-activated neurons that regulate breathing to maintain a constant arterial PCO2 (PaCO2)]. The key neurons, a.k.a. the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN), have now been identified. In this review we describe their transcriptome, developmental lineage, and anatomical projections. We also review their contribution to CO2 homeostasis and to the regulation of breathing automaticity during sleep and wake.

The Retrotrapezoid Nucleus: Central Chemoreceptor and Regulator of Breathing Automaticity