Asymmetric cell division (ACD) gives rise to two daughter cells with distinct fates. ACD is widely used during development and by many types of adult stem cells during tissue homeostasis and regeneration. ACD can be regulated by extrinsic cues, such as signaling molecules, as well as by intrinsic factors, such as organelles and cortex proteins. The recent discovery of asymmetric histone inheritance during stem cell ACD has revealed another intrinsic mechanism by which ACD produces two distinct daughters. In this review we discuss these findings in the context of cell-cycle regulation, as well as other studies of ACD, to begin understanding the underlying mechanisms and biological relevance of this phenomenon.

不对称细胞分裂（ACD）产生两个具有不同命运的子细胞。ACD在发育过程中被广泛使用，在组织稳态和再生过程中被许多类型的成年干细胞广泛使用。ACD可以通过外部信号（例如信号分子）以及内在因素（例如细胞器和皮质蛋白）来调节。最近在干细胞ACD期间发现不对称组蛋白遗传的发现揭示了ACD产生两个不同子代的另一种内在机制。在这篇综述中，我们在细胞周期调控的背景下讨论这些发现，以及对ACD的其他研究，以开始了解这种现象的潜在机制和生物学相关性。