This gene encodes a member of the HEM family of tissue-specific transmembrane proteins which are highly conserved from invertebrates through mammals. This gene is only expressed in hematopoietic cells. The encoded protein is a part of the Scar/WAVE complex which plays an important role in regulating cell shape in both metazoans and plants. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found.[provided by RefSeq, May 2010].