The Effect of ATP and P2X Receptor on Respiration in the Neunatal Rat Transverse Medullary Slice

ATP has become widely recognized as a key mediator in both central and peripheral chemosensory transduction in adult rat. The distribution of P2X receptor subtype and the role of ATP in neonatal rat are unclear. The main objective of this study was to observe the role of ATP-mediated respiratory activity in the neonatal rat transverse medullary slice. The increase of respiratory activity was dose-dependent of ATP and via P2X receptors in the medulla of neonatal SD rats. The effect of ATP was reduced by P2X receptor blocker, Suramin or NF279. The inhibition of ATP-excited respiratory activity by NF279 appeared to be more significant than by Suramin.