PROM1 and astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma): Elevated levels of CD133+ cells have been described before in MI and GBM and encompass large part of the HPC population, since in these studies no further separation of EPC subtypes was made [35, 43, 44].We found that the absolute levels of EPCs and CECs were increased in MI and GBM, but not in the astrocytomas grade II and III, reflecting the low level of neovascularization in lower-grade gliomas.