Fig. 1: Peritoneal MCAs of exfoliated GC cells expressing a stem cell-like phenotype.

a Representative H&E images of peritoneal MCAs and scattered-free cancer cells. Scale bar = 100 μm. b Representative IHC images of CEA and CK19 in peritoneal MCAs and scattered-free cancer cells. Scale bar = 100 μm. c Higher colony forming ability of peritoneal MCAs than scattered-free cancer cells in the control group. d, e IHC and western blottingting showing upregulated stemness-related genes CD44, ALDH1A1, Oct4, Bmi1 and Nanog expressed by peritoneal MCAs compared to scattered-free cancer cells in the control group. Scale bar = 100 μm. f Increased tumor spheres forming ability of peritoneal MCAs compared to scattered-free cancer cells in the control group. Scale bar = 10 μm. g Higher cell viability of peritoneal MCAs after being treated with different concentrations and for different durations with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin compared to scattered-free cancer cells in the control group. h Formation of subcutaneous xenograft tumors by peritoneal MCAs (R) than scattered-free cancer cells (L). i, j Increased number and weight of xenograft tumors formed by peritoneal MCAs compared to scattered-free cancer cells in the control group. Each bar in the figure represents the mean ± SEM of triplicates. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001