Required for postnatal maturation of the hair bundle and long-term survival of hair cells and spiral ganglion. Widely expressed in adult and fetal tissues. Highest levels are found in jejunum, lymph node, parietal lobe, fetal spleen and fetal thymus. Expressed in cervical, melanoma, chronic myelogenous and gastric cancer cell lines. The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Belongs to the GIPC family.