Regulatory component of the cyclin D2-CDK4 (DC) complex that phosphorylates and inhibits members of the retinoblastoma (RB) protein family including RB1 and regulates the cell-cycle during G1/S transition. Phosphorylation of RB1 allows dissociation of the transcription factor E2F from the RB/E2F complex and the subsequent transcription of E2F target genes which are responsible for the progression through the G1 phase. Hypophosphorylates RB1 in early G1 phase. Cyclin D-CDK4 complexes are major integrators of various mitogenenic and antimitogenic signals. Also substrate for SMAD3, phosphorylating SMAD3 in a cell-cycle-dependent manner and repressing its transcriptional activity. Component of the ternary complex, cyclin D2/CDK4/CDKN1B, required for nuclear translocation and activity of the cyclin D-CDK4 complex By similarity.Xiong Y., Genomics 13:575-584(1992).Palmero I., Oncogene 8:1049-1054(1993).Kalnine N., Submitted (OCT-2004) to the EMBL/GenBank/DDBJ databases.