Stress-responsive protein involved in hormone responses, cell growth, and differentiation. Acts as a tumor suppressor in many cell types. Necessary but not sufficient for p53/TP53-mediated caspase activation and apoptosis. Has a role in cell trafficking, notably of the Schwann cell, and is necessary for the maintenance and development of the peripheral nerve myelin sheath. Required for vesicular recycling of CDH1 and TF. May also function in lipid trafficking. Protects cells from spindle disruption damage. Functions in p53/TP53-dependent mitotic spindle checkpoint. Regulates microtubule dynamics and maintains euploidy. Interacts with RAB4A (membrane-bound form); the interaction involves NDRG1 in vesicular recycling of CDH1. Mainly cytoplasmic but differentially localized to other regions. Associates with the plasma membrane in intestinal epithelia and lactating mammary gland. Translocated to the nucleus in a p53/TP53-dependent manner. In prostate epithelium and placental chorion, located in both the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. No nuclear localization in colon epithelium cells. In intestinal mucosa, prostate and renal cortex, located predominantly adjacent to adherens junctions. Cytoplasmic with granular staining in proximal tubular cells of the kidney and salivary gland ducts. Recruits to the membrane of recycling/sorting and late endosomes via binding to phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate. Associates with microtubules. Colocalizes with TUBG1 in the centrosome. Cytoplasmic location increased with hypoxia. Phosphorylated form found associated with centromeres during S-phase of mitosis and with the plasma membrane. Ubiquitous; expressed most prominently in placental membranes and prostate, kidney, small intestine, and ovary tissues. Also expressed in heart, brain, skeletal muscle, lung, liver and pancreas. Low levels in peripheral blood leukocytes and in tissues of the immune system. Expressed mainly in epithelial cells. Also found in Schwann cells of peripheral neurons. Reduced expression in adenocarcinomas compared to normal tissues. In colon, prostate and placental membranes, the cells that border the lumen show the highest expression. By homocysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, tunicamycin in endothelial cells. Induced approximately 20-fold during in vitro differentiation of the colon carcinoma cell lines HT-29-D4 and Caco-2. Induced by oxidative stress in colon cancers. Decreased expression in colon adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Induced by nickel compounds in all tested cell lines. The primary signal for its induction is an elevation of free intracellular calcium ion caused by nickel ion exposure. Okadaic acid, a serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitor, induced its expression more rapidly and more efficiently than nickel. Under stress conditions, phosphorylated in the C-terminal on many serine and threonine residues. Phosphorylated in vitro by PKA. Phosphorylation enhanced by increased intracellular cAMP levels. Homocysteine induces dephosphorylation. Phosphorylation by SGK1 is cell cycle dependent. The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Belongs to the NDRG family.