Plays a role as a marker and a regulator of neuronal differentiation\; Up-regulated by a variety of neurogenic signals, such as retinoic acid, epidermal growth factor/EGF and nerve growth factor/NGFB. Induces apoptosis, growth arrest and the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1B. May play a role as a tumor repressor and functions as antagonist of the Hedgehog pathway on cell proliferation and differentiation by affecting the nuclear transfer of transcrition factor GLI1 (By similarity).
Di Marcotullio, Ferretti, De Smaele, Argenti, Mincione, Zazzeroni, Gallo, Masuelli, Napolitano, Maroder, Modesti, Giangaspero, Screpanti, Alesse, Gulino: "REN(KCTD11) is a suppressor of Hedgehog signaling and is deleted in human medulloblastoma." in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 101, Issue 29, pp. 10833-8, (2004) (PubMed).