Fig. 3.

Post-ischemic 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment improves myocardial function and reduces infarct size following acute ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R). Post-ischemic infusion of E2 improves myocardial functional recovery in male (M) mouse hearts: a LVDP, b +dP/dt, c – dP/dt, and in ovariectomized female (OVX F) mouse hearts: e LVDP, f +dP/dt, g – dP/dt. Representative photographs of transverse slices with TTC staining and infarct size comparisons between post-ischemic E2 treatment and their untreated counterparts in male (d) and OVX female (h) mouse hearts following I/R. i Infarct size comparison between male and female mouse hearts after I/R. j Changes of LVDP in stability controls of male and OVX F mouse hearts perfused for 85 min (n = 4/group). LVDP: left ventricular developed pressure = LV systolic pressure − diastolic pressure; ± dP/dt: maximum/minimum value of first derivative of LV pressure; Eq equilibration. Mean ± SEM, results analyzed using two-way ANOVA with multiple comparisons of Sidak test in a–c and e–g, unpaired t test in bar graphs, d, h and i, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001