Introduction 3. DNA methylation marks inactive regions of the genome 3.1. DNA methylation patterns and chromatin. 3.2. DNA methylation inhibits gene expression by direct and indirect mechanisms 3.3. DNA methylation controls gene expression in vivo 4. Mechanisms responsible for inheritance of the DNA methylation pattern 4.1. How is the pattern of methylation faithfully inherited? 4.2. DNMT1 methylates selectively hemimethylated sites 4.3. The DNA methylation pattern in somatic cells is not static 4.4.. The possible repair function of de novo DNMTs and demethylases 4.5. Specificity of de novo DNMTs and demethylase (s) 4.6. Summary

5. Regulation of the DNA methylation machinery by cell growth signals 5.1. Multiple mechanisms coordinate DNA methylation with the cell cycle 5.2. Regulation of DNMT1 levels by mitogenic signals 5.3. Cell cycle regulation of de novo methylases and demethylase/Mbd2 and Mbd3 5.4. Targeting of DNMT1 to the replication fork; concurrent methylation and replication 6. DNMT1 controls cell growth parameters