This gene encodes a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease domain) family. Members of this family are membrane-anchored proteins structurally related to snake venom disintegrins, and have been implicated in a variety of biological processes involving cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions, including fertilization, muscle development, and neurogenesis. This member is a subunit of an integral sperm membrane heterodimer glycoprotein called fertilin, which plays an important role in sperm-egg interactions.[8] The other subunit is ADAM1 or alpha-fertilin.[5]
