In humans respiratory chemoreceptors are located centrally in the medulla (Nattie, 2010) and peripherally in the carotid bodies (Torrance, 1996; Kumar & Bin‐Jaliah, 2007). Does the interaction between hypoxia and CO2 occur in the medulla between the central and peripheral chemoreceptor signals or is it within the peripheral chemoreceptors? Several observations are pertinent to this question. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.