This gene belongs to the subfamily of small cytokine CC genes. Cytokines are a family of secreted proteins involved in immunoregulatory and inflammatory processes. The CC cytokines are proteins characterized by two adjacent cysteines. The cytokine encoded by this gene displays chemotactic activity on resting T lymphocytes, a minimal activity on neutrophils, and is negative on monocytes and activated T lymphocytes. The protein is also a strong suppressor of colony formation by a multipotential hematopoietic progenitor cell line.