The GAP43 gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein specifically found in nervous tissue. The GAP43 protein can be connected to the synaptosomal membrane via a dual palmitoylation sequence that targets lipid rafts. While the protein is yet to be fully characterized, studies on lower orthologs and mouse knockout models have helped elucidate its physiological role. It is found to be highly expressed in ‘neuronal growth cones’, located on the tips of elongating axons and dendrites, particularly during development and axonal regeneration. The protein is hence believed to play a role in the growth and plasticity of axons in the central nervous system.