Cashmere fiber is soft,fine and has a small output.It is a high-grade textile raw material.It is known as"soft gold"in the world.In recent years,that the selection of cashmere fineness is neglected in order to pursue high meat and cashmere yield in cashmere goat industry.Selecting and maintaining the superior characteristics of cashmere fineness of cashmere goats,finding and using molecular markers related to cashmere fineness is one of the most important methods.According to the growth and development characteristics of cashmere,this paper reviews the cashmere formation and development characteristics and cashmere fineness related genes of cashmere from the following aspects:the structure of goat hair follicle,the structure and composition of cashmere fiber,the morphogenesis and development of hair follicle,the periodic development mechanism of hair follicle,and the research status of cashmere fineness related genes,including KAPs gene family,Wnt and Notch signal pathway related genes,aiming to provide beneficial theoretical reference for cashmere quality control.