Figure 3.

Immunohistochemical expression of CRBP-1 in healthy livers (A), livers with mild-moderate fibrosis (B) and with severe fibrosis (C). CRBP-1 positive hepatic stellate cells/myofibroblasts are mainly found in the hepatic lobule and to a lesser degree in the portal tracts (PT) and septa (S) (arrowheads). Their number increases as the fibrosis progresses (r=0.2, P<0.05; *P<0.05 vs healthy liver, ^P<0.05 vs stage 1, D). A scant CRBP-1 expression is observed in some interlobular bile ducts (*). Original magnification; X200; high power fields: X400; scale bar: 50 µm.