As shown in Figure 3c by an immunofluorescence double staining, MMP-1 was co-expressed with great amounts of proliferating (Ki-67+) cells in areas which were associated with early BE (goblet cells as well as Cdx-2 positivity were observed in serial sections) (Figure 3c, representative example of n = 41 BE). This evidence concerns the gene MKI67 and Barrett esophagus.