The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the INK4 family of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. This protein has been shown to interact with CDK4 or CDK6 , and prevent the activation of the CDK kinases , thus function as a cell growth regulator that controls cell cycle G1 progression. Ectopic expression of this gene was shown to suppress the growth of human cells in a manner that appears to correlate with the presence of a wild-type RB1 function. Studies in the knockout mice suggested the roles of this gene in regulating spermatogenesis , as well as in suppressing tumorigenesis. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene , which encode an identical protein , have been reported. [provided by RefSeq , Jul 2008] ,
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