Important for normal spermatogenesis and male fertility. Specifically required for progression to the post-meiotic stages of spermatocyte development. Seems to be necessary for normal expression levels of a number of testis-expressed gene transcripts, although its role in this process is unclear. Expressed in both adult testis and fetal ovary, mostly in germ cells (at protein level). Expression increases in the ovary during the meiosis prophase I period at 55-65 dpc and decreases until the end of the fetal life and then remains very low in adult ovary. Low expression in testis throughout fetal development.