Reflux is the predominant risk factor for BO, and proximal gastric colonization of H. pylori seems to amplify this risk.

While BO is not common among Swedish gastroscopy patients, IM and PAM are found in every 7th and 6th patient, respectively. Age-dependent increments in prevalence suggest that not only BO and IM, but also cardia-type mucosa are acquired and/or progressive lesions.

Pancreatic acinar metaplasia might be an age-dependent lesion, associated with H. pylori, female gender and gastro-oesophageal reflux if located above the GOJ.

A simple technique for the condensation of cellular 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) with formaldehyde gas is described. The technique, which is especially suited for quantitative cytofluorometric studies, involves the generation of formaldehyde gas from dry paraformaldehyde in a closed reaction vessel with the addition of a measured quantity of water. The fluorescence yield of 5-HT was tested at various humidities. Optimal results were obtained with the addition of 100 mg water to a 1000 ml reaction vessel containing 6 g of dry 32 THE JOURNAL OF HISTOCHEMISTRY AND CYTOCHEMI8TRY Copyright © 1977 by The Histochemical Society, Inc.

Pancreatic acinar-like metaplasia is common in the distal oesophagus and pancreatic secretory proteins, including trypsininogen 2, are produced in the oesophageal metaplastic acinar cells. The biological significance of this finding has yet not been thoroughly studied.