In this review, I summarise recent work from my laboratory in which we have been examining the distribution of stem cells in human interfollicular epidermis and the factors that regulate stem cell fate in vitro. The non-random distribution of stem cells is emphasised and beta1 integrins and Delta1 are suggested to play a role in stem cell patterning. beta1 integrins, Notch, c-Myc and beta-catenin all regulate the size of the stem cell compartment in vitro and recent evidence from transgenic mice suggests that they are also important in vivo.