Fig. 10.

Summary of the effect of tibolone in male and female astrocytes. Under basal conditions, both male and female astrocytes have a similar phagocytic activity. Tibolone increases phagocytosis in astrocytes of both sexes, with a higher effect in females. In female astrocytes, the effect of tibolone was blocked with the inhibition of local estradiol synthesis using letrozole. In contrast, in male astrocytes, the action of tibolone is increased by the inhibition of local estradiol synthesis. Under an inflammatory challenge (LPS), phagocytosis is increased in male astrocytes and decreased in female cells. Under these conditions, tibolone restores phagocytosis to basal tibolone levels in both sexes