May play a role in determining the production of hemoglobin S. May act as a repressor. During embryonic development, plays a role in palatogenesis. Additional isoforms seem to exist. PubMed:9073066 (AAC51171) sequence may be an additional isoform. Expressed in leukemia cells and placenta. Also expressed in kidney and fetal liver. The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Belongs to the distal-less homeobox family.