Automated description from the Alliance of Genome Resources (Release 7.0.0)
Enables cytokine activity. Involved in positive regulation of DNA-templated transcription and positive regulation of immunoglobulin production. Acts upstream of or within positive regulation of peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation. Located in extracellular space. Is expressed in colon; thymus; and thymus primordium. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in asthma and stomach cancer. Orthologous to human IL5 (interleukin 5).