May be involved in mediating calcium-activated chloride conductance. The C-terminus 30 kDa form is anchored to the membrane. The N-terminus 110 kDa form is released from the membrane triggered by an unknown stimulus. Primarily expressed in the digestive tract, mainly in colon. Detected in smaller amounts in brain, urogenital organs, testis, and salivary and mammary glands. Highly expressed in the epithelial layer and submucosal gland of the inferior turbinate mucosa. Lower levels in the epithelial layer of nasal polyp. Down-regulated in oral tongue squamous cell carcinomas. The metalloprotease region is responsible for autoproteolytic processing. It can also cross-cleave other CLCA substrates. The translation product is autoproteolytically cleaved by the metalloprotease domain in the endoplasmic reticulum into a N-terminal and a C-terminal products that remain physically associated with each other. The cleavage is necessary for calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) activation activity. Belongs to the CLCR family.