I will be analyzing the role of basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor ASCL1 in glial cell development. Glial cells are a type of cells in the nervous system that surround neurons and work as support and insulation. Interest in glial cells and the abnormal development of the types of cells (such as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) has increased due to its potential role in neurological disorders (such as schizophrenia, autism, tumors, multiple sclerosis and even amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)). A basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) is a protein motif that characterizes transcription factors. ASCL1 is a protein encoded by the ASCL1 gene in humans. Because of these potential diseases and the role of ASCL1 as a master regulator of neural development, studies have been conducted to understand how this protein could be potentially manipulated to help regulate certain disease developments as well as proliferation of certain types of glial cells. I will be using transgenic mice to study the role of ASCL1 in glial development in the brain. These transgenic mice allows one to directly visualize and trace the lineage of ASCL1-expressing progenitor cells using reporter proteins (GFP, tdTomato) from birth into adulthood, or to over express ASCL1 specifically in astrocyte or oligodendrocyte lineage cells in a temporally inducible manner. In order to accomplish this goal, harvesting mouse brain tissues, sectioning these tissues using a cryostat onto slides, and performing immunohistochemistry on the slides to analyze labeled or manipulated glial cells will be used. Finally, a Zeis LSM 800 would be used to perform confocal imaging of the slides to collect data.