Transcription regulator required to maintain maternal and paternal gene imprinting, a process by which gene expression is restricted in a parent of origin-specific manner by epigenetic modification of genomic DNA and chromatin, including DNA methylation. Acts by controlling DNA methylation during the earliest multicellular stages of development at multiple imprinting control regions (ICRs) (PubMed:18622393, PubMed:30602440). Acts together with ZNF445, but ZNF445 seems to be the major factor in human early embryonic imprinting maintenance. In contrast, in mice, ZFP57 plays the predominant role in imprinting maintenance (PubMed:30602440). Required for the establishment of maternal methylation imprints at SNRPN locus. Acts as a transcriptional repressor in Schwann cells. Binds to a 5'-TGCCGC-3' consensus sequence and recognizes the methylated CpG within this element (By similarity). Binds various differentially methylated regions (DMR). In contrast to mice, transcripts are undetectable in the oocyte and during the earliest stages of embryonic development, increasing only after zygotic genome activation. The KRAB domain is required for function as transcriptional repressor. Zinc fingers 3 and 4 mediate recognition of the target element, ZF3 interacting with the 5' half (TGC) and ZF4 interacting with the 3' half (CGC). The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Belongs to the krueppel C2H2-type zinc-finger protein family. ZFP57 subfamily.