- Aortic body
Infobox Anatomy
Name = Aortic body
Latin = corpora paraaortica
GraySubject = 277
GrayPage = 1277
Caption = The thoracic aorta, heart and other great vessels. (Aortic body not visible, but arch of aorta labeled at center.)
Caption2 =
Precursor =
System =
Artery =
Vein =
Nerve =vagus nerve [GPnotebook|1409679417]
Lymph =
MeshName = Aortic+Bodies
MeshNumber = A08.800.550.700.120.600.050
DorlandsPre = b_17
DorlandsSuf = 12190576
In the human heart, the aortic body is one of several small clusters ofchemoreceptor s,baroreceptor s, and supporting cells located along the aortic arch.Function
It measures changes in blood pressure and the composition of arterial blood flowing past it, including the partial pressures of
oxygen andcarbon dioxide but notpH . The chemoreceptors responsible for sensing changes in blood gases are calledglomus cell s.It gives feedback to the
medulla oblongata via the afferent branches of thevagus nerve (X). The medulla, in turn, regulates breathing and blood pressure.Disorders
A
paraganglioma is a tumor that may involve the aortic body.Swelling can also occur.Nomenclature
Some sources equate the "aortic bodies" and "
paraaortic bodies ", while other sources explicitly distinguish between the two. [MeshName|Aortic+Bodies] [MeshName|Para-Aortic+Bodies] When a distinction is made, the "aortic bodies" arechemoreceptors which regulatecirculation , while the "paraaortic bodies" are thechromaffin cells which manufacturecatecholamine s.References
ee also
*
Carotid body
*Control of respiration
*Peripheral chemoreceptors
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