1.   EGF was found in the capillary endothelium of the normal oesophageal papillae and basal mucosa.

2.   Negative control slides comprised normal oesophageal mucosa which had been treated with either avidin-biotin or EGF monoclonal antibody alone.

3.   In sections from normal oesophageal mucosa, almost all the endothelium in the papillae stain positively for EGF.

4.   Consequently, the proportion of papillae with EGF positive capillaries was significantly decreased in inflamed oesophageal mucosa compared with normal oesophageal mucosa.

5.   In normal oesophageal mucosa the distribution of EGF does not alter from proximal to distal oesophagus.

6.   All subjects belonged to a group of volunteers who had previously participated in other studies and who were known to have normal oesophageal motility.

7.   According to our data, non-deglutitive repetitive simultaneous pressure waves may occur as a normal oesophageal motor pattern.

8.   Achalasia was defined as failure of relaxation of a hypertensive or normal lower oesophageal sphincter with absent peristalsis in the oesophageal body.

9.   The technique is also useful in the assessment of the efficacy of anti-reflux treatment because these formulations are of neutral pH and cannot be discriminated from normal oesophageal pH.

10.   In the nine patients with normal gastric pH patterns eight had a normal oesophageal pH profile.