The protein encoded by this gene is a molecular chaperone, tumor suppressor, and member of the heat shock protein-40 family. The encoded protein binds the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin and targets it to the plasma membrane. This protein also binds incorrectly folded E-cadherin and targets it for endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation. This gene is a strong tumor suppressor for colorectal carcinoma, and downregulation of it may serve as a good biomarker for predicting patient outcomes. Several transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene.