EMT. (A) During development, epithelial cells undergo a set of reversible, yet sequential, morphological changes to acquire mesenchymal characteristics. (B) Tumor cells activate similar developmental programs to attain a mesenchymal state that not only bolsters their migratory ability but also assists in the survival of disseminated cells in the circulation and upon extravasation at a noncontiguous site. Seeded MICs revert to an epithelial state to actively proliferate and subsequently colonize the metastatic site. The figure was generated with BioRender.com.