SCP2 encodes two proteins: sterol carrier protein X (SCPx) and sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), as a result of transcription initiation from 2 independently regulated promoters. Evidence suggests that the SCPx protein is a peroxisome-associated thiolase that is involved in the oxidation of branched chain fatty acids, while the SCP2 protein is thought to be an intracellular lipid transfer protein. This gene is highly expressed in organs involved in lipid metabolism, and may play a role in Zellweger syndrome, in which cells are deficient in peroxisomes and have impaired bile acid synthesis. Alternative splicing of this gene produces multiple transcript variants, some encoding different isoforms. The full-length nature of all transcript variants has not been determined.