A similar percentage of NKg2a+-cells in the CD8+-population (CD8+NKg2a+-cells) was found in ex vivo cultures of squamous epithelial biopsies from normal looking esophagus of BE patients, RE patients and controls (Figure 4, panel C) and in ex vivo cultures of RE and distal esophagus of controls (Figure 4, panel D). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and Barrett esophagus.