Cadherins: potential regulators in the faculty of language

•Cadherins are a large superfamily of transmembrane proteins.•Cadherin expression controls synapse formation and neuronal activity.•Perturbation of cadherin expressions alters vocalizations in the songbird and mouse.•Differential cadherin expression is seen among avian and mammalian species.•Cadherins might be involved in the neural basis of language and its evolution.

The cadherin superfamily is a large (now more than 100 proteins) protein family originally identified as cell adhesion molecules. Each cadherin shows distinct expression patterns in the nervous system, and their expressions are both spatially and temporally regulated and diverse among different species. Mounting evidence has suggested that cadherins play multiple roles in neural development and functions. Recently, using songbirds and mice, the potential role of cadherins in vocal behavior has been demonstrated. Here, we will briefly introduce general function of cadherins, and analyze the potential involvement of cadherins in vocal behaviors and their evolution.