This gene encodes a member of the urotensin family of peptide hormones. The encoded preproprotein undergoes proteolytic processing to generate a mature, functional hormone before secretion into the plasma. Mice lacking the encoded protein have a significantly decreased low density lipoprotein cholesterol profile and hepatic steatosis that is consistent with decreased hepatocyte de novo cholesterol synthesis and apolipoprotein B secretion. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2016]