This gene encodes a member of the calnexin family of molecular chaperones. The encoded protein is a calcium-binding, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated protein that interacts transiently with newly synthesized N-linked glycoproteins, facilitating protein folding and assembly. It may also play a central role in the quality control of protein folding by retaining incorrectly folded protein subunits within the ER for degradation. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been described. [provided by RefSeq]