Necessary for apicobasal and anterior-posterior asymmetries associated with cell adhesion and gastrulation during the first few cell cycles of embryogenesis (PubMed:8898226). Required for localizing/ maintaining par-3 at the cell periphery (PubMed:9834192, PubMed:8898226). Regulates mes-1 expression and/or localization pattern during early embryogenesis (PubMed:11003841). Acts together with par-3 and pkc-3 in maintaining epithelial cell polarity in the distal spermatheca (PubMed:13129846, PubMed:15151982). Plays a role in endosome and Golgi body positioning (PubMed:22634595). Interacts with par-3, required for its peripheral localization, and with cdc-42, required for the activation of a par-3/par-6/pkc-3 complex. Membrane-associated at the periphery of blastomeres up to about the 50 cell stage. Peripheral expression is asymmetric in the cells of the germline lineage P0, P1, P2 and P3 (PubMed:9834192). Asymmetric distribution in the 1-cell embryo is regulated by the cye-1/cdk-2 complex (PubMed:17115027). Colocalized with par-3 at all stages in early embryos, at the anterior cortex of the embryo. Patchy expression observed at the periphery after completion of meiosis I and in meiosis II, which on completion of metaphase II, is restricted to the anterior 85% of embryo length; this decreases to 55% in embryos between prophase and telophase of the first mitosis. During the first cleavage, expression is detected in the advancing furrow. Along with pkc-3, is unable to associate with the apical cortex of cells that lack par-3. Transiently coexpressed and colocalized with par-3 and pkc-3, asymmetrically in the developing somatic gonad, including the spermathecal precursor cells of L4 larvae. Expressed both maternally and zygotically. RNAi-mediated knockdown results in a diffuse distribution of early, recycling and late endosomes and Golgi bodies and reduced intensities of markers for these organelles. Belongs to the PAR6 family.