Fig. 4. Level of mRNA expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) (A), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) (B), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (C) was measured from liver tissue obtained at 6 and 24 hours after 90% hepatectomy using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Data are expressed as the median, with the 25%–75% percentiles in boxes and the 5%–95% percentiles as whiskers. ^aP < 0.05 vs. sham group; ^bP = 0.068 control vs. somatostatin; ^cP = 0.058 control vs. somatostatin. GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.