Internal carotid artery of the posterior communicating artery to the bifurcation of the internal carotid artery. The named branches of the communicating segment are: The internal carotid then divides to form the anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery. The internal carotid artery can receive blood flow via an important collateral pathway supplying the brain, the cerebral arterial circle, which is more commonly known as the Circle of Willis. The following are the branches of the internal carotid artery, listed by segment: The sympathetic trunk forms a plexus of nerves around the artery known as the carotid plexus. The internal carotid nerve arises
Carotid body acid-base transporters (e.g. Na-H) which raise intracellular pH, and activates transporters (e.g. Cl-HCO) which decrease it. Changes in proton concentration caused by acidosis (or the opposite from alkalosis) inside the cell stimulates the same pathways involved in P sensing. Another mechanism is through oxygen sensitive potassium channels. A drop in dissolved oxygen lead to closing of these channels which results in depolarization. This leads to release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the glossopharyngeal and vagus afferente to the vasomotor area. The type I (glomus) cells in the carotid (and aortic bodies) are derived from neuroectoderm and are thus electrically excitable.