TESC regulates cholangiocarcinoma growth in vivo. (a) TESC-silenced HUCCT1 cells were injected subcutaneously into the flank region of nude mice, and tumor volume was monitored. Error bars indicate standard error of the mean (SEM); n = 7; *** p < 0.001. (b) Tumors from (a) were weighed (left) and photographed (right) 10 weeks after injection. Error bars indicate SEM; n = 7; *** p < 0.001. (c) HUCCT1-tet_on-shTESC cells were injected subcutaneously into the flank region of nude mice. Two weeks after injection, mice were treated with or without doxycycline (DOX, 1 mg/mL in drinking water). Tumor volumes were monitored over time as indicated. Error bars indicate SEM; n = 7; * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001. (d) Tumors from (c) were weighed (left) and photographed (right) 14 weeks after injection. Error bars indicate SEM; n = 7; *** p < 0.001. (e) Excised tumors from mice in (d) were further subjected to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining combined with immunohistochemistry analysis. Red scale bar, 50 µM.