Involved in the regulation of both adhesion and cell morphology and cancer progression. Functions as an anti-adhesive molecule that maintains an open filtration pathway between neighboring foot processes in the podocyte by charge repulsion. Acts as a pro- adhesive molecule, enhancing the adherence of cells to immobilized ligands, increasing the rate of migration and cell-cell contacts in an integrin-dependent manner. Induces the formation of apical actin- dependent microvilli. Involved in the formation of a preapical plasma membrane subdomain to set up initial epithelial polarization and the apical lumen formation during renal tubulogenesis. Plays a role in cancer development and aggressiveness by inducing cell migration and invasion through its interaction with the actin-binding protein EZR. Affects EZR-dependent signaling events, leading to increased activities of the MAPK and PI3K pathways in cancer cells. . This is the function of Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000128567 (PODXL, podocalyxin like).