Acts as a cell adhesion ligand for skin epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Restrictive expression is observed at tissue junctions such as the myotendinous junction in skeletal and heart muscle, the articular cartilage-synovial fluid junction, or the border between the anagen hair follicle and the dermis in the skin. It is deposited in the basement membrane zone of the myotendinous junction and the hair follicle and associated with the extrafibrillar matrix in cartilage. Belongs to the fibril-associated collagens with interrupted helices (FACIT) family.