该基因编码一种与肝细胞生长因子受体结合的蛋白质，在许多细胞和组织类型中调节细胞生长、细胞运动和形态发生。选择性剪接产生多个转录变体，其中至少一个编码蛋白前体，蛋白水解后生成α和β链，形成成熟异二聚体。这种蛋白由间充质细胞分泌，在主要来源于上皮细胞的细胞上起多功能细胞因子的作用。这种蛋白也在血管生成、肿瘤发生和组织再生中起作用。尽管编码蛋白是丝氨酸蛋白酶S1家族的成员，但它缺乏肽酶活性。该基因突变与非综合性听力损失有关。
This gene encodes a protein that binds to the hepatocyte growth factor receptor to regulate cell growth, cell motility and morphogenesis in numerous cell and tissue types. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants, at least one of which encodes a preproprotein that is proteolytically processed to generate alpha and beta chains, which form the mature heterodimer. This protein is secreted by mesenchymal cells and acts as a multi-functional cytokine on cells of mainly epithelial origin. This protein also plays a role in angiogenesis, tumorogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Although the encoded protein is a member of the peptidase S1 family of serine proteases, it lacks peptidase activity. Mutations in this gene are associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss.