Figure 2.

Diagram of the E2-deprivation paradigm. Animals were OVX at day 0 and then separated into 4 deprivation groups (n = 16–20/deprivation group) that were subjected to increasingly longer periods of hormone deprivation (1, 4, 8, and 12 wk). After deprivation, animals were treated with either vehicle (safflower oil) or E2 (2.5 μg/kg) by sc injection once daily for 3 consecutive days (n = 6–10/treatment group). Animals were killed 24 hours after the last treatment.