Modulates the assembly and organization of the microtubule cytoskeleton, and probably plays a role in regulating the orientation of the mitotic spindle and the orientation of the plane of cell division. Required for normal proliferation of neuronal progenitor cells in the developing brain and for normal brain development. Does not affect neuron migration per se. Homotrimer; self-association is mediated by the N-terminal coiled coil (By similarity). Does not interact with EML3 (By similarity). Binds unpolymerized tubulins via its WD repeat region (By similarity). Binds repolymerizing microtubules (PubMed:24859200). Interacts with TASOR (PubMed:31112734). Detected in cytoplasmic punctae. Co-localizes with microtubules. Enriched in perinuclear regions during interphase and in the region of spindle microtubules during metaphase. Enriched at the midzone during telophase and cytokinesis. Detected at growth cones in neurons. Detected in adult brain cortex, hippocampus and thalamus (PubMed:24859200). Expressed in the stomach, lungs and in Sertoli cells of the testis (PubMed:31112734). Detected from 13.5 dpc to the first day after birth in cortical neuron progenitor cells in the ventricular zone and in postmitotic neurons in the cortical plate. Contains a tandem atypical propeller in EMLs (TAPE) domain. The N-terminal beta-propeller is formed by canonical WD repeats; in contrast, the second beta-propeller contains one blade that is formed by discontinuous parts of the polypeptide chain. The N-terminal coiled coil is required for association with microtubules. Defects in Eml1 are the cause of the neuronal heterotopia observed in HeCo mice. These mice display heterotopic neurons in the rostro-medial part of the neocortex, together with epilepsy and subtle learning deficits in adults. At 17 dpc both Tbr1(+) and Cux1(+) neurons contribute to the heterotopia. Three days after birth, most Tbr1(+) have reached their final destination, but many Cux1(+) neurons remain in the heterotopia and fail to reach cortical layers II to IV, contrary to the situation in wild-type. Besides, progenitor cells continue to proliferate, resulting in large numbers of abnormally positioned actively proliferating cells during both early and late stages of corticogenesis. In HeCo mice, insertion of a retrotransposon into Eml1 leads to the absence of full-length Eml1 transcripts. Belongs to the WD repeat EMAP family.