This detailed volume examines bioinformatic and molecular biological methods useful to identify and to explore the functions of CpG islands, key navigation points to understand gene regulation in fundamental processes such as development and cell differentiation as well as in diseases like cancer. Beginning with a historical perspective and important properties of CpG islands, the book continues with sections on computational and wet lab methods related to the study of DNA methylation, and in-depth protocols for the analysis of CpG island functional features including epigenetic profiling and chromatin interactions. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics,