Abstract
The application of molecular genetics to human biology has had a profound effect on our ability to understand, diagnose, and treat a variety of diseases. The identification and cloning of a number of disease-related genes has provided us with a powerful set of tools for identifying susceptibility to disease and, more important, understanding the molecular pathophysiology of many disorders. More recently, the revolution in molecular medicine has also generated considerable enthusiasm for gene therapy.Somatic gene therapy is the introduction and expression of recombinant genes in somatic cells for the purpose of treating a disease. Although barely five years old, . . .