This gene encodes a precursor protein that is proteolytically cleaved to yield an alpha chain and a beta chain which form a membrane-spanning heterodimer. The encoded protein belongs to a family of cell-surface receptor tyrosine kinases involved in signaling from the cell surface to the intracellular environment. The binding of the encoded protein to its ligand, macrophage-stimulating protein, mediates several biological activities including wound healing, tumor immunity, macrophage activation and hematopoiesis as well as cell growth, motility, survival and adhesion. The protein encoded by this gene also functions in early development and the macrophage-mediated inflammatory response. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2013]