Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Advances in technologies that help to characterize stem cells, including genetic and epigenetic properties and lineage trajectories, have increased our knowledge about their physiological roles and contributions to development, ageing, regeneration and disease. Stem cells, and cells differentiated from them, are now used in vitro and in vivo in a variety of applications, such as disease modelling, drug screening and for transplantations.