[Nucleotide excision repair in human cells. Biochemistry and implications in diseases]

It is of vital importance for all living systems to ensure proper functioning and propagation of their genetic information. A severe threat to the stability of DNA is posed by the ubiquitous occurrence of chemical and physical genotoxic agents that damage DNA, thus interfering with the processes of DNA metabolization and inducing mutations. This threat has necessitated the generation of an intricate network of DNA repair systems. Recently several laboratories have made great progress in the field of DNA repair, and have contributed to unravelling the molecular mechanism of the major process, the nucleotide excision repair pathway in mammals, and its biological impact and involvement in several human DNA repair disorders.