Cadherins are calcium-dependent cell adhesion proteins (PubMed:25938815, PubMed:25850673). They preferentially interact with themselves in a homophilic manner in connecting cells; cadherins may thus contribute to the sorting of heterogeneous cell types (PubMed:25938815, PubMed:25850673). Required for adherens junction assembly and connecting adherens junctions to the cytoskeleton (PubMed:26412237). Isoform a is required for cell migration during body enclosure and cell shape changes during body elongation (PubMed:9531567, PubMed:12847081). Required for proper localization of other junctional components, such as hmp-1, hmp-2, jac-1 and pac-1 (PubMed:9531567, PubMed:25938815). Recruitment of pac-1 is required to establish cell polarity, independent of its role in cell adhesion (PubMed:25938815). Required for primodial germ cell ingression and adherence to endodermal cells during gastrulation (PubMed:20515680, PubMed:22675206). Isoform b is involved in axonal guidance in a subset of motor neurons. Monomer in solution (PubMed:20689042). Isoform a is a component of a core catenin-cadherin complex consisting of hmr-1, hmp-1 and hmp-2; the complex localizes to adherens junctions (PubMed:20689042, PubMed:25850673). Isoform a interacts with hmp-2; the interaction is direct (PubMed:10952315, PubMed:20689042, PubMed:25850673, PubMed:26412237). Isoform a interacts (via intracellular domain) with jac-1 (PubMed:12847081, PubMed:25938815). The basal to apical translocation from the cell membrane to adherens junctions is determined by the coupled sumoylation and desumoylation state of hmr-1. Isoform b is neuron-specific (PubMed:11790304). Isoform a is located in epidermal cells (at protein level) (PubMed:9531567). Isoform a is present in all embryonic blastomeres at early stages of development (PubMed:9531567, PubMed:25938815). Expressed throughout gastrulation and in primordial germ cells (PubMed:22675206). The cytoplasmic domain is necessary for binding to jac-1. Phosphorylation at T-2912 increases the binding affinity for hmp-2. Sumoylated. Sumoylation prevents accumulation at adherens junctions and decreases the binding affinity for hmp-2. Embryonic lethal (PubMed:20689042, PubMed:25850673). Hammerhead phenotype characterized by morphogenetic defects before the start of body elongation, due to improper closure of hypodermis (PubMed:9531567, PubMed:25850673). Humpback phenotype with embryos containing dorsal humps (PubMed:20689042). Embryos also exhibit defective actin structures including loss of actin at cell-cell junctions and detached thick actin bundles called circumferential filament bundles that insert at right angles to junctional actin (PubMed:20689042). RNAi-mediated knockdown results in ingression defects in primordial germ cells (PubMed:22675206). Truncated N-terminus.