This gene encodes a member of the BTB/POZ protein family. BTB/POZ proteins are involved in several cellular processes including proliferation, apoptosis and transcription regulation. The encoded protein is a transcriptional repressor that plays a role in stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency maintenance. The encoded protein also suppresses transcription of the candidate tumor suppressor Gadd45GIP1, and expression of this gene may play a role in the progression of multiple types of cancer. A pseudogene of this gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 9. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2012].