A number of genes verified by Sequenom MASSarray are known to closely participate in the neural stem cell differentiation program (Table 1). The Igf2 (insulin growth factor 2, an imprinting gene key in development) and Sox 7 (an activator of fibroblast growth factor 3 transcription) are involved in neural stem cell growth and patterning. The Lim2 and Cutl2 (Cux2, Cux2 cut-like homeobox 2), a homeodomain transcription factor, regulates neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the developing cortical ventricular zone and in the spinal cord (Cubelos et al., 2008, Iulianella et al., 2008). Cutl2 loss-of-function mouse mutants exhibit smaller spinal cords with deficits in neural progenitor development (Iulianella et al., 2008). Smarca2 (Brm; SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin) with Brg1 are subunits of SWI/SNF complex essential for the transition from neural stem/progenitors to postmitotic neurons (Lessard et al., 2007). The function of DNA methylation may regulate the recruitment of histone modification enzymes (e.g. histone deactylase or histone methyl transferase) or transcription factor binding. The sites of altered DNA methylation of these genes notably coincide with important
