This gene encodes a glycoprotein involved in the regulation of the complement cascade. Binding of the encoded protein to complement proteins accelerates their decay, thereby disrupting the cascade and preventing damage to host cells. Antigens present on this protein constitute the Cromer blood group system (CROM). Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. The predominant transcript variant encodes a membrane-bound protein, but alternatively spliced transcripts may produce soluble proteins. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2014]