这个基因编码的蛋白质是stat蛋白家族的一员。在对细胞因子和生长因子的反应中，stat家族成员被受体相关的激酶磷酸化，然后形成homo-或异二聚体，在那里它们作为转录激活因子转移到细胞核。该蛋白可被多种配体激活，包括干扰素α、干扰素γ、egf、pdgf和il6。这种蛋白质介导多种基因的表达，这被认为是对不同细胞刺激和病原体的细胞活力的重要反应。已经描述了编码不同亚型的两个选择性剪接转录变体[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the STAT protein family. In response to cytokines and growth factors, STAT family members are phosphorylated by the receptor associated kinases, and then form homo- or heterodimers that translocate to the cell nucleus where they act as transcription activators. This protein can be activated by various ligands including interferon-alpha, interferon-gamma, EGF, PDGF and IL6. This protein mediates the expression of a variety of genes, which is thought to be important for cell viability in response to different cell stimuli and pathogens. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]