TLR4 and gastroesophageal reflux disease: The major aim of this paper was to generate a human esophageal myofibroblast line with an extended lifespan to facilitate future investigation of the mechanisms by which human esophageal myofibroblasts respond to stimuli encountered in esophageal inflammatory disorders such as GERD (e.g. acid and TLR4 ligands) in the complex environment of the esophageal mucosa.