The identification and characterization of human neural precursor cells are critical in extending our understanding of central nervous system development from model animal systems to our own species. Moreover, availability of well‐characterized populations of human cells is of potential value in endeavors ranging from cell transplantation to drug screening. We have isolated a population of continuously dividing glial‐restricted precursor cells from commercially available cryopreserved 18–20 weeks old fetal brain neural progenitor cells. These human glial‐restricted precursor cells are A2B5⁺ and do not express polysialylated E‐NCAM (PSA‐NCAM). They can be grown as purified populations in serum‐free medium supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and can be induced to generate cells with the antigenic characteristics of oligodendrocytes and distinct astrocytic populations. GLIA 40:65–77, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.