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The diagram shows some of the complex internal controls that occur in a neural stem cell facing the decision of which cell type to become. Early in development (right), stem cells express high levels of neurogenin (Ngn), which blocks astrocyte differentiation. It prevents the STAT transcription factors from being phosphorylated and moving to the nucleus to activate astrocyte-specifying genes. It also directs a general transcription factor (CBP/p300/Smad1) away from astrocyte genes and toward neuron-specifying genes. Without neurogenin, the astrocyte pathway can proceed (left), which is partly why stem cells grown in culture tend to become glia, not neurons. Back