Catalyzes the reduction of all-trans-retinal to all-trans-retinol in the presence of NADPH. all-trans-retinol + NADP(+) = all-trans-retinal + H(+) + NADPH Widely expressed with highest levels found in heart, placenta, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, testis, stomach, trachea and spinal cord. Lower levels found in skeletal muscle, intestine and lymph node. No expression detected in brain. In the retina, expressed in cone but not rod outer segments. By retinoic acid. Located in a region of chromosome 1 which is often deleted in aggressive neuroblastoma tumors. Belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) family.