Lactate sensing by neuroepithelial cells isolated from the gills of killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Lactate is produced in most vertebrate cells as a by-product of anaerobic metabolism. In addition to its role as a fuel for many tissues, circulating lactate can act as a signalling molecule and stimulates ventilation in air- and water-breathing vertebrates. Recent evidence suggests lactate acts on O2- and CO2/H+-sensitive chemoreceptors located in the mammalian carotid body. While analogous receptors (neuroepithelial cells or NECs) in fish …