Furthermore, since in celiac disease the small-bowel mucosal extracellular TG2-specific IgA deposits seem to disappear slowly after a gluten-free diet [6], we hypothesized that the autoantibody secretion to supernatants is related to the existence of mucosal TG2-specific IgA deposits in the cultured small-bowel biopsy samples. The gene discussed is TGM2; the disease is celiac disease.