Purinergic signaling: A tribute to Francesco Di Virgilio.

This Special Issue (SI) is dedicated to the memory of Francesco Di Virgilio, an eminent and extraordinarily gifted scientist who unexpectedly passed away while attending a congress two years ago. Francesco left behind a remarkable legacy of discoveries in the field of purinergic signaling, with particular emphasis on the ATP-sensitive ionotropic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R). We never anticipated that our initiative to organize this SI would generate such overwhelming interest within the purinergic research community. The SI comprises 20 articles, including both original research papers and review articles, focusing primarily on topics closely related to Francesco's scientific interests. The major chapters in this collection of papers are (1) P2XR-mediated signaling as a cause of inflammation, pain, and neuronal development; (2) P2X7Rs in neurodegenerative diseases; (3) ATP-induced changes in astrocytic functions; (4) The enigma of the neuronal P2X7R; (5) Purinergic signaling and cancer neuroscience; and (6) The efficiency of natural products to treat allergic contact dermatitis and high glucose-induced ferroptosis. We hope that the reader will enjoy this brief journey through important aspects of purinergic signaling with the same delight as we felt when compiling this volume.