这个基因编码galectin家族的一个成员。半乳糖凝集素是β-半乳糖苷结合的具有保守碳水化合物识别结构域的动物凝集素。半乳糖凝集素具有发育、分化、细胞-细胞粘附、细胞-基质相互作用、生长调节、凋亡和RNA剪接等多种功能该基因在肿瘤组织中广泛表达，似乎与整合素样细胞相互作用有关。另外，还发现了编码不同亚型的剪接转录变体。[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
This gene encodes a member of the galectin family. Galectins are beta-galactoside-binding animal lectins with conserved carbohydrate recognition domains. The galectins have been implicated in many essential functions including development, differentiation, cell-cell adhesion, cell-matrix interaction, growth regulation, apoptosis, and RNA splicing. This gene is widely expressed in tumoral tissues and seems to be involved in integrin-like cell interactions. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]