The function of this gene has not yet been defined; however, netrin is thought to be involved in axon guidance and cell migration during development.

[6] NTN1 has been shown to interact with Deleted in Colorectal Cancer,[5][7] and components of the extracellular matrix and the tumor microenvironment.

These neuronal cell bodies are signaled by Netrin 1 to be attracted to the floor plate from the dorsal half of the neural tube.

In a study done in knockout mice with a depletion of floor plate Netrin-1, it was shown that corticospinal axon tract midline crossing was disrupted.

Varadarajan, Supraja G., et al. "Netrin1 produced by neural progenitors, not floor plate cells, is required for axon guidance in the spinal cord."