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. 2019 Jul 30;17(4):263–273. doi: 10.2450/2019.0053-19

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Effect of female sex hormones on red blood cell calcium influx.

Human red blood cells (RBC) from healthy volunteers (n=3) were labelled with a fluorescent calcium probe (Fluo-3AM) and treated with selected concentrations of progesterone, 17β-oestradiol or norgestimate (a progesterone contraceptive analogue) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO 0.1%, vehicle control). Kinetic curves represent the rates of RBC calcium influx during incubation for 60 min (37 °C, mild agitation). (A) Calcium influx in the presence of progesterone. Asterisks represent significant differences (p<0.0001) between results for DMSO and 10 μmol/L (*) or 20 μmol/L (**) progesterone. (B). Calcium influx in the presence of 17β-oestradiol. (C) Comparison of RBC calcium influx kinetics between cells treated with progesterone or norgestimate (each at 10 μmol/L). Asterisks represent significant differences between DMSO and progesterone (*p=0.033) or norgestimate (**p=0.003). AU: arbitrary units.