The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the slingshot homolog (SSH) family of phosphatases, which regulate actin filament dynamics. The SSH proteins dephosphorylate and activate the actin binding/depolymerizing factor cofilin, which subsequently binds to actin filaments and stimulates their disassembly. Cofilin is inactivated by kinases such as LIM domain kinase-1 (LIMK1), which may also be dephosphorylated and inactivated by SSH proteins. The SSH family thus appears to play a role in actin dynamics by reactivating cofilin proteins. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been described for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011].