Acts upstream of or within cartilage development; chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan metabolic process; and convergent extension involved in axis elongation. Predicted to be located in extracellular region. Predicted to be active in extracellular space. Is expressed in several structures, including cranial cartilage; epidermis; nervous system; pericardial region; and periderm. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in breast carcinoma; congenital stromal corneal dystrophy; and high grade glioma. Orthologous to human DCN (decorin).