This gene encodes a member of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family of endoproteases that play important roles in various biological processes including cell signaling, adhesion and migration. The encoded preproprotein undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature enzyme that is involved in the proteolytic release of membrane-bound proteins in a process called ectodomain shedding. Mice lacking the encoded protein die in utero with multiple defects of the developing central nervous system, somites, and cardiovascular system. [provided by RefSeq, May 2016]