5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine is widely used in research and clinical settings as a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. It is primarily employed to study epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation, and its role in gene expression regulation. This compound is utilized in cancer research to reactivate tumor suppressor genes that have been silenced by hypermethylation, making it a potential therapeutic agent for various cancers, including leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Additionally, it is applied in cellular reprogramming studies to enhance the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cell generation by altering the epigenetic landscape. Its ability to demethylate DNA also makes it a valuable tool in understanding developmental biology and disease mechanisms linked to epigenetic dysregulation.