Intermicrovillar adhesion molecule that forms, via its extracellular domain, calcium-dependent heterophilic complexes with CDHR5 on adjacent microvilli. Thereby, controls the packing of microvilli at the apical membrane of epithelial cells. Through its cytoplasmic domain, interacts with microvillus cytoplasmic proteins to form the intermicrovillar adhesion complex/IMAC. This complex plays a central role in microvilli and epithelial brush border differentiation. May also play a role in cell-cell adhesion and contact inhibition in epithelial cells. Part of the IMAC/intermicrovillar adhesion complex/intermicrovillar tip-link complex composed of ANKS4B, MYO7B, USH1C, CDHR2 and CDHR5. Interacts with MAST2 (By similarity). Interacts (via cytoplasmic domain) with USH1C and MYO7B; required for proper localization of CDHR2 to microvilli tips and its function in brush border differentiation (Probable). The cadherin 1 domain is required for binding to CDHR5.