carotid body

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. a small mass of cells and nerve endings adjacent to the carotid sinus that, in response to chemical changes in the blood, adjusts the respiratory rate.

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carotid body Scientific  

1. A mass of tissue near the carotid sinus that contains chemical receptors sensitive to oxygen and pH levels in the blood and that is involved in the regulation of respiratory activity.

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Etymology

Origin of carotid body

First recorded in 1935–40

Compare meaning

How does carotid-body compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• carotid body vs. carotid sinus

Example Sentences

This discovery could lead to new ways to treat high blood pressure, especially in people with sleep apnoea, where carotid body activity increases when breathing stops during sleep.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

Most important, whereas previous nerve surgery for asthma sometimes disturbed the blood pressure or heart rate, no ill effects have yet been detected from removal of a carotid body.

From Time Magazine Archive

Discovered in 1743, it is called the carotid body, or glomus caroticum*; there is one on each side of the neck.

From Time Magazine Archive

It resembles the carotid body in its microscopical structure, but is not so vascular.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 8 "Dubner" to "Dyeing" by Various

In the Anura there is a rete or network into which the carotid artery breaks up in the position of the carotid body, and this has an important effect on the course of the circulation.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 8 "Dubner" to "Dyeing" by Various