Morphology of reserve cells of the excretory ducts of esophageal mucous glands in chronic esophagitis

Morphological, cytophotometrical, and histochemical study of reserve cells of the excretory ducts of esophageal mucous glands in chronic esophagitis was done on autopsy material (189 cases). Chronic esophagites were found to be accompaned by diverse morphological changes of reserve cells manifested in the development of their focal and diffuse hyperplasia. The reserve cells of the esophageal epithelium were found to be capable to differentiate into the squamous and glandular epithelium. Chronic esophagites were shown to cause metabolic disorders in the nuclei of the reserve cells leading to changes in the chromosome set. In the opinion of the authors, their results are important for the elucidation of the nature of esophageal adenoacanthomas.