Cell adhesion molecule that plays a role in neuronal self-avoidance. Promotes repulsion between specific neuronal processes of either the same cell or the same subtype of cells. Mediates within retinal amacrine and ganglion cell subtypes both isoneuronal self-avoidance for creating an orderly dendritic arborization and heteroneuronal self-avoidance to maintain the mosaic spacing between amacrine and ganglion cell bodies (By similarity). Receptor for netrin required for axon guidance independently of and in collaboration with the receptor DCC (PubMed:18585357). Might also collaborate with UNC5C in NTN1-mediated axon repulsion independently of DCC (By similarity). In spinal cord development plays a role in guiding commissural axons projection and pathfinding across the ventral midline to reach the floor plate upon ligand binding. Enhances netrin-induced phosphorylation of PAK1 and FYN. Mediates intracellular signaling by stimulating the activation of MAPK8 and MAP kinase p38 (By similarity). Adhesion molecule that promotes lamina-specific synaptic connections in the retina: expressed in specific subsets of interneurons and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and promotes synaptic connectivity via homophilic interactions (By similarity). Homodimer; mediates homophilic interactions to promote cell adhesion (By similarity). Interacts with DCC; the interaction is abolished in response to NTN1 (By similarity). Interacts (via extracellular domain) with NTN1 (By similarity). Probably found in a ternary complex composed of DSCAM, PAK1 and RAC1 (By similarity). Interacts (via cytoplasmic domain) with PAK1; the interaction is direct and enhanced in presence of RAC1 (By similarity). Interacts with RAC1; the interaction requires PAK1 (By similarity). Interacts (via extracellular domain) with UNC5C (via Ig-like C2-type domain) (By similarity). Interacts with PTK2 (By similarity). Interacts with FYN (By similarity). Localized in the soma, cell membrane, axon and growth cone of dissociated commissural axons. Expressed in spinal cord at 11 dpc. Expressed in precrossing commissural axons and growth cones of neurons that crossed the midline at 12 dpc. Expressed in axons coursing in the ventral and dorsal funiculus ar 13 dpc. Expressed in postcrossing axons at 15 dpc (at protein level). Ig-like C2-type domains 7 to 9 are sufficient for interaction with NTN1 and commissural axon outgrowth. The transmembrane domain is necessary for interaction with DCC (By similarity). Phosphorylated at tyrosine residues. Phosphorylation is enhanced by NTN1.