Cerberus (CER)

Cerberus also known as CER1 is a cytokine member of the cystine knot superfamily, characterized by nine conserved cysteines and a cysteine knot region. The cerberus-related cytokines, together with Dan and DRM / Gremlin, represent a group of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonists that can bind directly to BMPs and inhibit their activity.Cerberus is an inhibitor in the TGF beta signaling pathway secreted during the gastrulation phase of the embryogenesis.

Cer1 mimicked the anti-BMP activity of Xcer in Xenopus animal caps, although with reduced potency. In situ hybridization to early gastrula mouse embryos revealed that Cer1 expression was restricted to the anterior primitive endoderm, the tissue thought to initiate head induction.