RESPIRATORY REFLEXES FROM THE RENAL BLOOD VESSELS

Although a number of studies have been made on the respiratory reflex from the pressoreceptor, no one has ever proved the existence of the reflex from the renal vessels. In 1953 Page denied the existence of such reflex on the basis of his experiments on dogs. Thirty three dogs were used for this experiment: Under anesthesia with Ravonal, I have inserted cannula into the renal artery and renal vein and raised the pressure in the renal vessels up to 150-200 mmHg in order to observe influences on respiratory system. I have also conducted the same experiments after cutting in turn the nerves of carotid sinus, the vagus, the splanchnic nerves and all the nerves around the kidney. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The reflex of respiratory inhibition and the paradoxical respiratory reflex were observed by giving pressure to renal vessels. 2. The pattern of the reflex is markedly similar to the respiratory reflex of carotid sinus pressoreceptor. However, the degree of reflex is lower. 3. The reflex is antagonistic to the respiratory reflex of the carotid sinus pressoreceptor. 4. The centripetal nerves related to the reflex are mostly the nerves included in the abdominal vagus and the splanchnic nerves.