该基因编码一种血管生成因子，可促进体内血管生成并刺激多种内皮细胞的体外生长它具有高度限制性的靶细胞特异性，仅作用于内皮细胞该基因突变与线粒体神经胃肠道脑肌病有关。已经鉴定出多个选择性剪接的转录变体。

This gene encodes an angiogenic factor which promotes angiogenesis in vivo and stimulates the in vitro growth of a variety of endothelial cells. It has a highly restricted target cell specificity acting only on endothelial cells. Mutations in this gene have been associated with mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified.