calcium-dependent cell adhesion proteins. They are important in the formation of adherens junctions between cells. cadherins are classified by their distinct immunological and tissue specificities, either by letters (E- for epithelial, N- for neural, and P- for placental cadherins) or by numbers (cadherin-12 or N-cadherin 2 for brain-cadherin). cadherins promote cell adhesion via a homophilic mechanism as in the construction of tissues and of the whole animal body.