Aldehyde dehydrogenases oxidize various aldehydes to the corresponding acids. They are involved in the detoxification of alcohol-derived acetaldehyde and in the metabolism of corticosteroids, biogenic amines, neurotransmitters, and lipid peroxidation. The enzyme encoded by this gene forms a cytoplasmic homodimer that preferentially oxidizes aromatic and medium-chain (6 carbons or more) saturated and unsaturated aldehyde substrates. It is thought to promote resistance to UV and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-induced oxidative damage in the cornea. The gene is located within the Smith-Magenis syndrome region on chromosome 17. Multiple alternatively spliced variants, encoding the same protein, have been identified.