Required for cuticle shedding and normal alae morphology and localization, and subsequently larval development. Secreted by the underlying hypodermis. Transiently expressed in head cells. Mainly expressed in all hypodermal cells (hyp1 to hyp11) from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail from late embryogenesis to adulthood, and expressed in the excretory duct and pore cells from the 3-fold stage of embryogenesis to adulthood. Expressed in intestinal and rectal cells, sensilla support cells, and transiently in the P lineage during the L1 stage of larval development. Temporal expression during the molt phases from larval development stage L2 to L4 with high expression prior to and during the L2 and L3 molt, but low expression between the molting phases, and low expression after the L4 molt.