Does not exhibit calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) activity. Colocalized with CALR/calreticulin. Shows an intracellular localization. At least 14 isoforms are produced using different combinations of exons 4, 6, 16, 20 and 21. Highly expressed in skeletal muscle, bone tissues and thyroid gland. In the developing embryo, expressed mainly in differentiating and developing somites and is associated with myotomal somite lineages. Up-regulated during the course of myogenic differentiation. Down-regulated during osteoblastic differentiation. The term 'anoctamin' was coined because these channels are anion selective and have eight (OCT) transmembrane segments. There is some dissatisfaction in the field with the Ano nomenclature because it is not certain that all the members of this family are anion channels or have the 8-transmembrane topology. Belongs to the anoctamin family.