Atrial volume receptors

Atrial volume receptors are low pressure baroreceptors that are found in the atria of the heart and pulmonary arteries.

When these receptors detect a blood volume increase in the atria, which indicates an increase in the arterial pressure, a signal is transmitted from the receptors to the hypothalamus in the brain. The hypothalamus, in turn, decreases the production of vasopressin (ADH, AVP, or arginine vasopressin). These receptors also cause a renal vasodilation, resulting in increase of the water amount in the glomerular filtrate which, combined with the decresed production of vasopressin by the hypothalamus, will cause a massive water loss through urine (increase in the urinary debit). That water loss decreases the blood volume, resulting in the decrease of its pressure.

See also

• Atrial natriuretic peptide
• Angiotensin
• Bainbridge_reflex
• Aldosterone