DNA repair at the level of the gene: molecular and clinical considerations.

DNA repair is an important process. It is as essential for the cell as is transcription and replication. There is evidence that deficient DNA repair processes lead to human disease including cancer, and recent progress in the field of DNA repair is likely to expand our knowledge about these relationships considerably. One recent advance is our capability to analyze the fine structure of DNA damage and repair by measuring the formation of lesions and their repair in specific, important genes in rodent and human cells. Such studies are leading to increased understanding of the molecular and clinical aspects of DNA repair.