The protein encoded by this gene is an intermediate filament (IF) family member. IF proteins are cytoskeletal proteins that confer resistance to mechanical stress and are encoded by a dispersed multigene family. This protein has been found to form a linkage between desmin, which is a subunit of the IF network, and the extracellular matrix, and provides an important structural support in muscle. Two alternatively spliced variants encoding different isoforms have been described for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008].