This gene encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase that is a member of the dual specificity protein phosphatase subfamily. These phosphatases inactivate their target kinases by dephosphorylating both the phosphoserine/threonine and phosphotyrosine residues. The encoded protein specifically regulates the c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways.[provided by RefSeq, May 2010].