该基因编码的蛋白质是一种控制巨噬细胞产生、分化和功能的细胞因子。这种蛋白的活性形式在细胞外被发现为一种二硫键连的同二聚体，并被认为是由膜结合前体的蛋白水解裂解产生的。编码蛋白可能参与胎盘的发育。交替剪接导致多个转录变体。
The protein encoded by this gene is a cytokine that controls the production, differentiation, and function of macrophages. The active form of the protein is found extracellularly as a disulfide-linked homodimer, and is thought to be produced by proteolytic cleavage of membrane-bound precursors. The encoded protein may be involved in development of the placenta. Alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants.