This gene is highly conserved during evolution and it plays a key role in the regulation of cell division. The encoded protein is a tyrosine phosphatase and belongs to the Cdc25 phosphatase family. It directs dephosphorylation of cyclin B-bound CDC2 and triggers entry into mitosis. It is also thought to suppress p53-induced growth arrest. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene have been described, however, the full-length nature of many of them is not known. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]