The protein encoded by this gene is a member of neuron-specific calcium-binding proteins family found in the retina and brain. It is highly similar to human hippocalcin protein and nearly identical to the rat and mouse hippocalcin like-1 proteins. It may be involved in the calcium-dependent regulation of rhodopsin phosphorylation and may be of relevance for neuronal signalling in the central nervous system. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2012].