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The human carotid body releases acetylcholine, ATP and cytokines during hypoxia

What is the central question of this study? Data on human carotid body (CB) function are limited. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate whether the human CB releases acetylcholine, ATP or cytokines during hypoxia. What is the main finding and its importance? Using human CBs, we demonstrate hypoxia‐induced acetylcholine and ATP release, suggesting that these neurotransmitters, as in several experimental animal models, play a role in hypoxic signalling also in the human carotid body. Moreover, the human CB releases cytokines upon hypoxia and expresses cytokine receptors as well as hypoxia‐inducible factor proteins HIF‐1α and HIF‐2α in glomus cells, indicating their role in immune signalling and oxygen sensing, respectively, in accordance with previous animal data.