Cadherin-16 (CDH-16) is an atypical member of cadherin superfamily with specific spatio-temporal expression pattern. It is mainly detected in the kidney and the thyroid, and its transcription products transiently appear in the sex ducts, as well as lung epithelium of mouse embryos. Studies to date show that CDH-16 contributes to the maintenance of tissue integrity and embryonic development, and is also involved in normal tissue metabolism and carcinogenesis process, whereas the underlying mechanism of its action remains largely unknown. Herein, this review summarizes the structure, function, distribution of CDH-16, as well as its spatio-temporal regulation of Cdh-16 gene expression, which provide theoretical basis for uncovering the role of CDH-16 protein in different biological processes.