The protein encoded by this gene is similar to SCARF1/SREC-I, a scavenger receptor protein that mediates the binding and degradation of acetylated low density lipoprotein (Ac-LDL). This protein has only little activity of internalizing modified low density lipoproteins (LDL), but it can interact with SCARF1 through its extracellular domain. The association of this protein with SCARF1 is suppressed by the presence of scavenger ligands. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].