Interactions between hepatic stellate cells and endothelin-1 are implicated in liver fibrosis. We determined endothelin-1, its receptors and its effects on the synthesis of a fibrogenic agent transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and collagen in stellate cells from control and CCl(4)-induced cirrhotic rats. The basal synthesis of endothelin-1, TGF-beta1 and collagen was much higher in cirrhotic stellate cells than in control cells. Endothelin-1 stimulated TGF-beta1 and collagen synthesis via endothelin ET(A) and endothelin ET(B) receptors, respectively, in control stellate cells, but did not elicit these effects in the cirrhotic cells despite increased density of the respective receptor subtypes in them. These results indicate that the actions of endothelin-1 on stellate cells may be an important physiological mechanism in maintenance of hepatic architecture. However, inability of endothelin-1 to stimulate TGF-beta1 and collagen synthesis in cirrhotic stellate cells suggests that it does not influence fibrogenic activity by direct action on them probably because the processes are already maximally activated.