Involved in the activation cascade of caspases responsible for apoptosis execution. Might function by either activating some proteins required for cell death or inactivating proteins necessary for cell survival . Associates with PIDD1 and CRADD to form the PIDDosome, a complex that activates CASP2 and triggers apoptosis in response to genotoxic stress .
Expressed at higher levels in the embryonic lung, liver and kidney than in the heart and brain. In adults, higher level expression is seen in the placenta, lung, kidney, and pancreas than in the heart, brain, liver and skeletal muscle.