Description
This gene encodes the precursor of a gastrointestinal peptide hormone of the secretin-glucagon family. The encoded protein is secreted as a prohormone that undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature peptide hormone. The mature peptide regulates secretion of gastric acid, biocarbonate ions from pancreatic and biliary duct epithelia and water homeostasis in the gastrointestinal system. Mice lacking the encoded protein display decreased survival of neuroprogenitor cells during early postnatal period and impaired long-term potentiation and spatial learning in adulthood. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. All of these isoforms may be processed in a similar manner to generate the mature peptide hormone