This gene encodes a member of the family of adenylate cyclases, which are membrane-associated enzymes that catalyze the formation of the secondary messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Mouse studies show that adenylate cyclase 4, along with adenylate cyclases 2 and 3, is expressed in olfactory cilia, suggesting that several different adenylate cyclases may couple to olfactory receptors and that there may be multiple receptor-mediated mechanisms for the generation of cAMP signals. Alternative splicing results in transcript variants.