Core component of the BAF (hSWI/SNF) complex. This ATP- dependent chromatin-remodeling complex plays important roles in cell proliferation and differentiation; in cellular antiviral activities and inhibition of tumor formation. The BAF complex is able to create a stable; altered form of chromatin that constrains fewer negative supercoils than normal. This change in supercoiling would be due to the conversion of up to one-half of the nucleosomes on polynucleosomal arrays into asymmetric structures; termed altosomes; each composed of 2 histones octamers. Stimulates in vitro the remodeling activity of SMARCA4/BRG1/BAF190A. Involved in activation of CSF1 promoter. Belongs to the neural progenitors- specific chromatin remodeling complex (npBAF complex) and the neuron-specific chromatin remodeling complex (nBAF complex). During neural development a switch from a stem/progenitor to a post-mitotic chromatin remodeling mechanism occurs as neurons exit the cell cycle and become committed to their adult state. The transition from proliferating neural stem/progenitor cells to post-mitotic neurons requires a switch in subunit composition of the npBAF and nBAF complexes. As neural progenitors exit mitosis and differentiate into neurons; npBAF complexes which contain ACTL6A/BAF53A and PHF10/BAF45A; are exchanged for homologous alternative ACTL6B/BAF53B and DPF1/BAF45B or DPF3/BAF45C subunits in neuron-specific complexes (nBAF). The npBAF complex is essential for the self-renewal/proliferative capacity of the multipotent neural stem cells. The nBAF complex along with CREST plays a role regulating the activity of genes essential for dendrite growth (By similarity). Plays a key role in cell-cycle control and causes cell cycle arrest in G0/G1. {ECO:0000250; ECO:0000269|PubMed:10078207; ECO:0000269|PubMed:12226744; ECO:0000269|PubMed:14604992; ECO:0000269|PubMed:16267391; ECO:0000269|PubMed:16314535; ECO:0000269|PubMed:9448295}.