Background
This gene encodes a member of the NOX family of NADPH oxidases. These enzymes have the capacity to generate superoxide and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) and transport electrons across the plasma membrane. The ROS generated by family members have been implicated in numerous biological functions including host defense, posttranlational processing of proteins, cellular signaling, regulation of gene expression, and cell differentiation. The protein encoded by this gene is expressed predominantly in the inner ear and is involved in the biogenesis of otoconia/otolith, which are crystalline structures of the inner ear involved in the perception of gravity.