The protein encoded by this gene is exceedingly potent mediator of new blood vessel formation. It hydrolyzes cellular tRNAs resulting in decreased protein synthesis and is similar to pancreatic ribonuclease. Alternative splicing results in two transcript variants encoding the same protein.

This gene and the gene that encodes ribonuclease, RNasse A family, 4 share promoters and 5' exons. Each gene splices to a unique downstream exon that contains its complete coding region.