Stellate cells as in Figure 1 were seeded onto preformed collagen lattices as in Methods, and after 5 days in culture, and introduction of serum free conditions, were exposed to the ERK inhibitor U0126 (10 μM), JNK inhibitor SP600125 (10 μM), IKK inhibitor (200 nM), or phosphoramidon for 30 minutes prior to addition of TNFα (15 ng/mL) for 24 hours. Lattices were released from their plastic substrata, and gel contraction was measured (n = 4, *P < .05 compared with serum-free medium alone). Abbreviation: ctr = control; SP = SP600125; phos = phosphoramidon