Heterogeneous expression of TASK-3 and TRAAK in rat paraganglionic cells

In the present study, we investigated the immunohistochemical localization of the two-pore K⁺ channels, TASK-3 and TRAAK, in paraganglionic cells within the superior cervical ganglion, stellate ganglion, and aortic body in comparison with membrane channels in chief cells of the carotid body. TASK-3 immunoreactivity was observed in the paraganglionic cells in all tissues examined. TRAAK immunoreactivity was observed in the chief cells of the aortic body as well as these of the carotid body, but not in the paraganglionic cells in the sympathetic (superior cervical and stellate) ganglia. Our findings indicate that sympathetic paraganglionic cells and glossopharyngeal/vagal paraganglionic cells were different from each other in the expression patterns of TASK-3 and TRAAK to result in the different chemoreception properties of sympathetic paraganglionic cells from those of chief cells of the aortic and carotid bodies.