ASCL1 and central nervous system cancer: Enhanced levels of Achaete-scute complex Homolog 1 (ASCL1) and Doublecortin (DCX) transcripts, markers of neural progenitors engaged in the early steps of neuronal differentiation [42], [43], were observed in human fetal neural stem cells and all glioma cell cultures examined as compared to adult cortical tissues (Figure 4B).