An arterially perfused brainstem preparation of guinea pig to study central mechanisms of airway defense

Abstract

The perfused working heart brainstem preparation of rodents has become a widely used tool to study brainstem function. Here, we adapt this experimental technique for newborn guinea pigs (postnatal day 7-14) to develop a tool that enables investigation of airway defense mechanisms not observed in other rodents. The perfused guinea pig brainstem preparation generates a stable eupnea-like motor pattern recorded from the phrenic, recurrent laryngeal and intercostal nerves and basic cardio-respiratory reflexes, including the arterial chemoreceptor, the baroreceptor reflex. In addition a fictive laryngeal cough reflex can be reliably elicited after mechanical stimulation of the trachea. Single uni..