Reviewer's report
Title:Multilayered epithelium in a rat model and human Barrett's esophagus:
Expression patterns of transcription factors and differentiation markers
Version: 1Date:25 September 2007
Reviewer: Takanori Hattori
Reviewer's report:
General
The present paper deals with development of Barrett's esophagus, and the
authors interested in multilayered epithelium (MLE) seen in the process of
metaplastic conversion. They paid attentions to expression patterns of
transcription factors and differentiation markers, and some results are interesting.
However, there are several problemsÅ@and an extensive revision is needed.
I wonder if the MLE is undefined entity. And a differentiation between the MLE
and intestinal metaplasia is also unclear in the present study. The authors
observed the MLE in human and rat esophagus, and they described that the
MLE consists of 4 to 8 layers of cells that show squamous differentiation in the
basal portion and columnar differentiation in the superficial layer. But, this
structure may be temporary even if this really exists, and how does the MLE
arise from the esophageal mucosa and how does the MLE develop to specialized
columnar epithelium of Barrett remain unanswered, although these two are an
important, crucial question. The columnar cells basically need to face the
basement membrane at the basal side, and in this sense, they must be in a same
position as the squamous cells.
Although the present authors examined expression patterns of transcription
factors and differentiation markers, they failed to show how these factors/markers
are related to a metaplastic change in Barrett's esophagus.
There are already detailed studies on the development of Barrett's esophagus.
Kumagai et al. and Tatsuta et al. proposed a GRCL theory. They observed a
metaplastic conversion of squamous cell to columnar cell through GRCL. The
first change is shown to be pyloric-foveolar metaplasia of squamous epithelium
followed by an appearance of intestinal-type goblet cells. The present authors
must explain how the MLE arise and develop.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Reviewer's report
Title:Multilayered epithelium in a rat model and human Barrett's esophagus:
Expression patterns of transcription factors and differentiation markers
Version: 1Date:25 September 2007
Reviewer: Takanori Hattori
Reviewer's report:
General
The present paper deals with development of Barrett's esophagus, and the
authors interested in multilayered epithelium (MLE) seen in the process of
metaplastic conversion. They paid attentions to expression patterns of
transcription factors and differentiation markers, and some results are interesting.
However, there are several problemsÅ@and an extensive revision is needed.
I wonder if the MLE is undefined entity. And a differentiation between the MLE
and intestinal metaplasia is also unclear in the present study. The authors
observed the MLE in human and rat esophagus, and they described that the
MLE consists of 4 to 8 layers of cells that show squamous differentiation in the
basal portion and columnar differentiation in the superficial layer. But, this
structure may be temporary even if this really exists, and how does the MLE
arise from the esophageal mucosa and how does the MLE develop to specialized
columnar epithelium of Barrett remain unanswered, although these two are an
important, crucial question. The columnar cells basically need to face the
basement membrane at the basal side, and in this sense, they must be in a same
position as the squamous cells.
Although the present authors examined expression patterns of transcription
factors and differentiation markers, they failed to show how these factors/markers
are related to a metaplastic change in Barrett's esophagus.
There are already detailed studies on the development of Barrett's esophagus.
Kumagai et al. and Tatsuta et al. proposed a GRCL theory. They observed a
metaplastic conversion of squamous cell to columnar cell through GRCL. The
first change is shown to be pyloric-foveolar metaplasia of squamous epithelium
followed by an appearance of intestinal-type goblet cells. The present authors
must explain how the MLE arise and develop.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Multilayered epithelium in a rat model and human Barrett's esophagus:
Expression patterns of transcription factors and differentiation markers
Version: 1Date:25 September 2007
Reviewer: Takanori Hattori
Reviewer's report:
General
The present paper deals with development of Barrett's esophagus, and the
authors interested in multilayered epithelium (MLE) seen in the process of
metaplastic conversion. They paid attentions to expression patterns of
transcription factors and differentiation markers, and some results are interesting.
However, there are several problemsÅ@and an extensive revision is needed.
I wonder if the MLE is undefined entity. And a differentiation between the MLE
and intestinal metaplasia is also unclear in the present study. The authors
observed the MLE in human and rat esophagus, and they described that the
MLE consists of 4 to 8 layers of cells that show squamous differentiation in the
basal portion and columnar differentiation in the superficial layer. But, this
structure may be temporary even if this really exists, and how does the MLE
arise from the esophageal mucosa and how does the MLE develop to specialized
columnar epithelium of Barrett remain unanswered, although these two are an
important, crucial question. The columnar cells basically need to face the
basement membrane at the basal side, and in this sense, they must be in a same
position as the squamous cells.
Although the present authors examined expression patterns of transcription
factors and differentiation markers, they failed to show how these factors/markers
are related to a metaplastic change in Barrett's esophagus.
There are already detailed studies on the development of Barrett's esophagus.
Kumagai et al. and Tatsuta et al. proposed a GRCL theory. They observed a
metaplastic conversion of squamous cell to columnar cell through GRCL. The
first change is shown to be pyloric-foveolar metaplasia of squamous epithelium
followed by an appearance of intestinal-type goblet cells. The present authors
must explain how the MLE arise and develop.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision
on publication can be reached)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of
a term, which the author can be trusted to correct)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore)
What next?: Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have
responded to the major compulsory revisions
Level of interest: An article whose findings are important to those with closely
related research interests
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
assistant