Loss-of-function mutations in the gene ced-8 lead to the late appearance of cell 
corpses during embryonic development in C. elegans. ced-8 functions downstream 
of or in parallel to-the regulatory cell death gene ced-9 and may function as a 
cell death effector downstream of the caspase encoded by the programmed cell 
death killer gene ced-3. In ced-8 mutants, embryonic programmed cell death 
probably initiates normally but proceeds slowly. ced-8 encodes a transmembrane 
protein that appears to be localized to the plasma membrane. The CED-8 protein 
is similar to human XK, a putative membrane transport protein implicated in 
McLeod Syndrome, a form of hereditary neuroacanthocytosis.