[citation needed] The classical explanation of HPV involves inhibition of hypoxia-sensitive voltage-gated potassium channels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells leading to depolarization.
[7] This contrasts with the classical explanation of HPV which presumes that hypoxia is sensed at the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell itself.
Specialized epithelial cells (neuroepithelial bodies) that release serotonin have been suggested to contribute to hypoxic pulmonary venoconstriction.
The standard drug treatment of dexamethasone does not alter the hypoxia or the consequent vasoconstriction, but stimulates fluid reabsorption in the lungs to reverse the edema.
Additionally, several studies on native populations remaining at high altitudes have demonstrated to varying degrees the blunting of the HPV response.