Furthermore, there was an absolute decrease in CD8+ and consequently CD8+CD103+ T cells per μm2 in both the epithelium and lamina propria of CD patients compared with healthy control subjects (average of 1 CD8+ T cell per 1051 μm2 in human control subjects, per 2249 μm2 in noninflamed CD patients, and per 2589 μm2 in inflamed CD patients for the epithelium, and per 839, 1848, and 1957 μm2, respectively, for the lamina propria). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and Cowden disease.