This gene encodes a cytokine receptor-like factor that may negatively regulate cell cycle progression at the G0/G1 phase. Studies of the related rat protein suggest that it may regulate neuronal morphology and synaptic vesicle biogenesis. This gene is one of several genes located in the neurofibromatosis type I tumor suppressor region on the q arm of chromosome 17, a region that is subject to microdeletions, duplications, chromosomal breaks and rearrangements. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants. Related pseudogenes have been identified on chromosomes 2 and 5. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2012]