This gene encodes a brain-specific membrane associated collagen. A product of proteolytic processing of the encoded protein, CLAC (collagenous Alzheimer amyloid plaque component), binds to amyloid beta-peptides found in Alzheimer amyloid plaques but CLAC inhibits rather than facilitates amyloid fibril elongation (PMID: 16300410). A study of over-expression of this collagen in mice, however, found changes in pathology and behavior suggesting that the encoded protein may promote amyloid plaque formation (PMID: 19548013). Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2011]