这个基因编码的蛋白质是MAP激酶家族的一员。MAP激酶作为多种生化信号的整合点，参与细胞增殖、分化、转录调控和发育等多种过程。这种激酶以特定的转录因子为靶点，从而在各种细胞刺激下介导即时早期基因表达。它与MAPK8关系最为密切，MAPK8与UV辐射诱导的细胞凋亡有关，被认为与细胞色素c介导的细胞死亡途径有关这个基因和MAPK8也被称为c-Jun N末端激酶这种激酶阻断了抑癌基因p53的泛素化，从而提高了p53在非受压细胞中的稳定性对该基因小鼠对应物的研究表明，在T细胞分化中起着关键作用报道了几种编码不同亚型的选择性剪接转录变体[由RefSeq提供，2008年9月]
The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the MAP kinase family. MAP kinases act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. This kinase targets specific transcription factors, and thus mediates immediate-early gene expression in response to various cell stimuli. It is most closely related to MAPK8, both of which are involved in UV radiation induced apoptosis, thought to be related to the cytochrome c-mediated cell death pathway. This gene and MAPK8 are also known as c-Jun N-terminal kinases. This kinase blocks the ubiquitination of tumor suppressor p53, and thus it increases the stability of p53 in nonstressed cells. Studies of this gene's mouse counterpart suggest a key role in T-cell differentiation. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2008]