Esophageal epithelial and mesenchymal cross-talk leads to features of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in vitro

► Cytokines IL-1β and TNFα play a role in the development of esophageal EMT in vitro. ► Features of EMT can occur in the absence of TGF-β in cultured human esophageal epithelial cells. ► Esophageal epithelial cells act as effector cells in EoE-associated tissue remodeling in vitro.