This gene encodes an enzyme that dephosphorylates myo-inositol monophosphate to generate free myo-inositol, a precursor of phosphatidylinositol, and is therefore an important modulator of intracellular signal transduction via the production of the second messengers myoinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. This enzyme can also use myo-inositol-1,3-diphosphate, myo-inositol-1,4-diphosphate, scyllo-inositol-phosphate, glucose-1-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-1-phosphate, beta-glycerophosphate, and 2'-AMP as substrates. This enzyme shows magnesium-dependent phosphatase activity and is inhibited by therapeutic concentrations of lithium. Inhibition of inositol monophosphate hydroylosis and subsequent depletion of inositol for phosphatidylinositol synthesis may explain the anti-manic and anti-depressive effects of lithium administered to treat bipolar disorder. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms. A pseudogene of this gene is also present on chromosome 8q21.13.
