This gene encodes a member of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) protein family. ADAMTS family members share several distinct protein modules, including a propeptide region, a metalloproteinase domain, a disintegrin-like domain, and a thrombospondin type 1 (TS) motif. Individual members of this family differ in the number of C-terminal TS motifs, and some have unique C-terminal domains. The protein encoded by this gene has a high sequence similarity to the protein encoded by gene ADAMTS16, another family member. It is thought to function as a tumor suppressor. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified, but their biological validity has not been determined. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].