The differing locations of the two bodies ideally position them to take advantage of different information; the carotid bodies, located on one of the main arteries of the neck, monitor partial pressure within arterial vessels while aortic body, located on the aortic arch, monitors oxygen concentration closer to the heart. Each of these bodies is composed of a similar collection of cells, and it is the post-transduction signal processing that differentiates their responses. However, little is known about the specifics of either of these signaling mechanisms.
The varied locations of the two bodies position them to exploit different information; the carotid bodies, situated on a primary artery in the neck, monitor partial pressure within arterial vessels whereas the aortic body, located on the aortic arch, monitors oxygen concentration closer to the heart. Both bodies are composed of a similar assembly of cells, and it is the post-transduction signal processing that differentiates their responses. However, there is limited knowledge about the specifics of either signaling mechanism.