This further demonstrates ATP’s multi-functional features: as an extracellular energy source to drive cell detachment, a messenger to extracellularly activate purinergic receptor (P2X7)-mediated EMT induction, a phosphate donor to upregulate the EMT signaling from inside of the cancer cells (as we found in our previous studies) after macropinocytosis-mediated internalization, and an intracellular energy source to facilitate cell morphology change (formation of filopodia-like protrusions) and movement. Here, P2RX7 is linked to cancer.