The astonishing cellular diversity in the central nervous system (CNS) arises from neural progenitors which can undergo different modes of symmetric and asymmetric divisions to self-renew as well as produce differentiated neuronal and glial progeny. Drosophila CNS neural progenitor cells, neuroblasts, have been utilised as a model to stimulate the understanding of the processes of asymmetric division, generation of neuronal lineages and, more recently, stem cell biology in vertebrates. Here we review some recent developments involving Drosophila and mammalian neural progenitor cells, highlighting some similarities and differences in the mechanisms that regulate their divisions during neurogenesis.