Adherens junctions (AJs) are one of the major intercellular junctions in various 
epithelia including the epidermis and the follicular epithelium. AJs connect the 
cell surface to the actin cytoskeleton and comprise classic transmembrane 
cadherins, such as P-cadherin, armadillo family proteins, and actin 
microfilaments. Loss-of-function mutations in CDH3, which encodes P-cadherin, 
result in two allelic autosomal recessive disorders: hypotrichosis with juvenile 
macular dystrophy (HJMD) and ectodermal dysplasia, ectrodactyly, and macular 
dystrophy (EEM) syndromes. Both syndromes feature sparse hair heralding 
progressive macular dystrophy. EEM syndrome is characterized in addition by 
ectodermal and limb defects. Recent studies have demonstrated that, together 
with its involvement in cell-cell adhesion, P-cadherin plays a crucial role in 
regulating cell signaling, malignant transformation, and other major 
intercellular processes. Here, we review the roles of P-cadherin in skin and 
hair biology, with emphasize on human hair growth, cycling and pigmentation.