The art of lineage tracing: From worm to human

Reconstructing the genealogy of every cell that makes up an organism remains a long-standing challenge in developmental biology. Besides its relevance for understanding the mechanisms underlying normal and pathological development, resolving the lineage origin of cell types will be crucial to create these types on-demand. Multiple strategies have been deployed towards the problem of lineage tracing, ranging from direct observation to sophisticated genetic approaches. Here we discuss the achievements and limitations of past and current technology. Finally, we speculate about the future of lineage tracing and how to reach the next milestones in the field.

Automated summary

Reconstructing the genealogy of cells in an organism is a challenging task in developmental biology, with implications for understanding normal and pathological development. Various strategies have been used for lineage tracing, from direct observation to genetic approaches. The achievements and limitations of past and current technology have been discussed, along with speculation on reaching future milestones in the field.