Paneth cells in Barrett's esophagus.

Paneth cells were identified in esophageal biopsies from 4 patients with Barrett's epithelium of the specialized columnar type. These cells were identical to human intestinal Paneth cells by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and histochemical staining reactions. Retrospective review of biopsies from 8 additional cases with esophageal specialized columnar epithelium yielded 2 further cases with Paneth cells. The presence of Paneth cells, along with goblet cells, suggests that specialized columnar type epithelium in the esophagus may be a form of highly differentiated intestinalization.