As mice in which the function of these cell adhesion molecules has been genetically modified seldom exhibit cleft palate, the strongest support for their involvement in palatal fusion is provided from human genetics; for example, mutations in PVRL1 which encodes nectin‐1, CDH1 which encodes E‐cadherin, and members of the epithelial cadherin‐p120‐catenin complex underlie CLP (Cox et al., 2018; Frebourg et al., 2006; Suzuki et al. 2000). Here, NECTIN1 is linked to cleft palate.