This protein is highly similar to FLASH, a mouse apoptotic protein identified by its interaction with the death-effector domain (DED) of caspase 8. Studies of FLASH protein suggested that this protein may be a component of the death-inducing signaling complex that includes Fas receptor, Fas-binding adapter FADD, and caspase 8, and plays a regulatory role in Fas-mediated apoptosis. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding the same protein.