Synapse Formation and Hypoxic Signalling in Co‐Cultures of Rat Petrosal Neurones and Carotid Body Type 1 Cells

1. To investigate synaptic mechanisms mediating chemosensory signalling in the carotid body, we developed co-cultures of chemoreceptor type 1 cell clusters and dissociated petrosal neurones (PNs) from 7- to 14-day-old rat pups and tested for functional connectivity in CO2-HCO3(-)-or Hepes-buffered medium at approximately 35 degrees C. 2. When cultured without type 1 cells, PNs were almost always quiescent (n = 104) and unresponsive to hypoxia …