Figure 3 Effect of retinol and its metabolites on α smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression in pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). (A) Representative western blots showing α‐SMA expression in PSCs incubated with culture medium alone (Cont), retinol (Rol), all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA), or 9‐cis retinoic acid (9‐RA) for 48, 72, and 96 hours. (B) Densitometry analysis of all western blots showing a significant decrease in α‐SMA expression at 72 and 96 hours in PSCs treated with Rol and at 48, 72, and 96 hours in PSCs treated with ATRA, compared with controls (n = 3 separate cell preparations; *p<0.02, **p<0.03, ***p<0.01).