Fig 2: Phenotypic heterogeneity of eSTCs and mSTCs in stem and early EMT features. (A) Nonstem mSTC with early EMT (CK7+CD133-Snail+) surrounded by immune and stromal cells. (B) eSTC without stem and EMT features (CK7+CD133-Snail-) near the multicellular structure. (C) Stem mSTC with early EMT (CK7+CD133+Snail+) near the multicellular structure. (D) Stem mSTC with early EMT (CK7+CD133+Snail+) among microenvironment cells (1) and stem eSTC without EMT (CK7+CD133+Snail-) similar in size to tumor cells composing multicellular structures (2). (E) Nonstem eSTC without EMT (CK7+CD133-Snail-) (1), stem eSTC without EMT (CK7+CD133+Snail-) (2), and nonstem mSTC without EMT (CK7+CD133-Snail-) among microenvironment cells. eSTCs were identified based on their similarity in size to tumor cells of multicellular structures, whereas mSTCs, to immune/stromal cells. Scale bar, 50 µm.