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. 2001 Mar;132(5):1035–1046. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703899

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Influences of ovariectomy and oestrus cycle on endothelial NO-mediated relaxation induced by ACh in rat mesenteric arteries. (a) Typical traces illustrating the relaxant responses to ACh during 10 μM Phe-induced contraction in control (sham-operated) rat mesenteric arteries in the presence of 10 μM indomethacin, 500 nM apamin and 100 nM ChTX. Right panel shows that the remaining relaxation to ACh was abolished by further treatment with 100 μM L-NOARG. Indomethacin, apamin, ChTX and L-NOARG were added to the bath 15–20 min before application of Phe. (b) Concentration-response curves for ACh-induced relaxation in mesenteric arteries from rats that were sham-operated, ovariectomized, and ovariectomized and 17β-oestradiol-treated. (c) Concentration-response curves for ACh-induced relaxation in mesenteric arteries from oestrus and diestrus rats. All curves were constructed in the presence of indomethacin, apamin and ChTX. The points are means of 6–11 experiments; the vertical lines show s.e.mean. Responses are expressed as per cent relaxation of Phe-induced contraction. Statistically significant differences were not found between the concentration-response curves of the experimental groups.