BM88, also known as CEND1 (cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation protein 1), is a 149 amino acid protein that belongs to the CEND1 familly. It is implicated in the synchronization of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors in the developing nervous system, and its expression marks the exit of proliferative cells from the cell cycle. It has recently been shown that neural progenitor cells (NPCs) that overexpress CEND1 display increased neuronal differentiation in a mouse model of brain injury, suggesting its potential use as a therapeutic intervention for neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury.
