Implicated in chromosome condensation and DNA damage induced cellular responses. May play a role in neurogenesis and regulation of the size of the cerebral cortex. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:12046007, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15199523, ECO:0000269|PubMed:15220350}. This is the function of MCPH1 (microcephalin 1, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000147316).