Enables hormone activity and identical protein binding activity. Involved in several processes, including detection of oxidative stress; negative regulation of cold-induced thermogenesis; and regulation of protein serine/threonine kinase activity. Acts upstream of or within with a positive effect on gene expression. Acts upstream of or within several processes, including brown fat cell differentiation; negative regulation of gluconeogenesis; and positive regulation of glucose import. Located in endoplasmic reticulum and extracellular space. Is expressed in several structures, including adipose tissue; axial musculature; gut; male reproductive gland or organ; and serum. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including carcinoma (multiple); cardiovascular system disease (multiple); non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; primary open angle glaucoma; and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Orthologous to human ADIPOQ (adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]