This gene encodes a member of the POU domain family of transcription factors. POU domain transcription factors bind to a specific octamer DNA motif and regulate cell type-specific differentiation pathways. The encoded protein is primarily expressed in the epidermis, and plays a critical role in keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. The encoded protein is also a candidate tumor suppressor protein, and aberrant promoter methylation of this gene may play a role in cervical cancer. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 2011]