Our previous in vitro studies have shown that treatment
of the rat erythrocytes with increasing F doses is accompa-
nied by their irreversible damage leading to apoptosis or
necrosis [15, 16]. At least three mechanisms—accumulation
of free Ca2+ in the cytosol, suppression of ATP synthesis,
and oxidative stress—were found to underlie F toxicity. The
present study was designed to confirm the potential ability
of F to induce premature death of rat erythrocytes under in
vivo conditions, after long-term consumption of excessive F
amounts, and elucidate the possible contribution of Ca2+
accumulation, ATP depletion, and oxidative stress in the
development of F-induced toxic F effects.