Fig. 1.

Experimental procedure: The rats were bled to mean arterial pressure of 30–35 mmHg over 5 min and maintained for 90 min. Shed blood was then infused followed by Ringer's solution, twice the shed blood volume, over 50 min. Blood samples for ex vivo experiments were obtained prior to the In vivo endotoxin (LPS: 1 μg/kg BW) challenge. LPS control animals received the same LPS dose but without bleeding.