This gene encodes a sialoglycoprotein that is expressed on mature granulocytes and B cells and modulates growth and differentiation signals to these cells. The precursor protein is cleaved to a short 32 amino acid mature peptide which is anchored via a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) link to the cell surface. This gene was missing from previous genome assemblies; but is properly located on chromosome 6. Non-transcribed pseudogenes have been designated on chromosomes 1; 15; 20; and Y. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants.