Plays an important role in bone formation and normal bone mineralization. Promotes the differentiation of myoblasts into osteoblasts . May induce the commitment and differentiation of myoblasts into osteoblasts through an enhancement of BMP2 production and interaction with the BMP-RUNX2 pathway. Up-regulates the expression of ATF4, a transcription factor which plays a central role in osteoblast differentiation. Essential for normal spermatogenesis and late testicular differentiation (By similarity).
Subcellular locations: Cell membrane, Cytoplasm, Endoplasmic reticulum membrane, Secreted
Expressed in brain microglia (at protein level) . Detected in urine (at protein level) . Elevated expression levels seen in the brain of patients with Alzheimer disease . Expressed by osteoblast-like cells in bone tissues and follicular dendritic cells in lymphoid tissues .