Figure 5 - a: Normal esophageal suction biopsy from a healthy subject without esophagitis.

Basal zone thickness is approximately 10% of total epithelial thickness; papillae extend approximately one-half the distance to the epithelial surface. b: Abnormal suction biopsy from a subject with symptomatic reflux. Basal zone thickness is approximately 35% of total epithelial thickness; papillae extend over two thirds of the distance to the epithelial surface. BZ, basal zone, SZ, stratified zone; P, papillae; LP, lamina propria. Hematoxylin and eosin 170. (Source: Ismail-Beigi et al.,⁵⁹ with permission from American Gastroenterological Association.)