Enables cytokine activity and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor binding activity. Involved in leukemia inhibitory factor signaling pathway and nervous system development. Predicted to be located in extracellular space. Predicted to be active in extracellular region. Biomarker of hypertension. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in dilated cardiomyopathy. Orthologous to human CTF1 (cardiotrophin 1). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]