The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase family. It plays a role in signal transduction by regulating the intracellular concentration of cyclic nucleotides. This protein can hydrolyze both cAMP and cGMP to the corresponding nucleoside 5' monophosphate, but has higher affinity for cAMP, and is more efficient with cAMP as substrate. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2011].