Fig. 1

Study design. a Schematic diagram of the experimental protocol for induction of RIPC and blood plasma sampling in young and aged, male and female volunteers. RIPC was induced by three periods of 5 min of ischemia of one upper arm each followed by 5 min of reperfusion. b–d Experimental protocol for isolated heart experiments. Blood plasma samples were transferred to isolated hearts from young (2–3 months) and aged (22–23 months) rat hearts. Black arrows indicate end of reperfusion and infarct size staining. Con control, RIPC remote ischemic preconditioning