Does chronic stimulation of both nicotinic and opioid receptors contribute to the loss of O2 and CO2 sensitivity in perinatal adrenomedullary chromaffin cells?

Adaptation of the neonate to extrauterine life depends critically on catecholamine secretion (CAT) from adrenomedullary chromaffin cells (AMC). This CAT secretion is triggered by asphyxial stressors (e.g. hypoxia and hypercapnia) associated with the birthing process and these act directly on AMC, prior to functional splanchnic innervation. These sensing mechanisms are lost postnatally along a time course correlating roughly with innervation of …