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. This gene is predominantly expressed in the epididymis, where the encoded preproprotein undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature, functional protein. Male mice lacking the encoded protein are infertile and exhibit multiple defects in reproduction. [provided by RefSeq, May 2016]