Aging occurs at the level of individual cells, a complex interplay between intrinsic "programming" and exogenous "wear and tear," with genetically-determined cellular capacity to repair environmentally-induced DNA damage playing a central role in the rate of aging and its specific manifestations. In 12 chapters, "The Role of DNA Damage and Repair in Cell Aging" provides an intellectual framework for aging of mitotic and post-mitotic cells, describes a variety of model systems for further studies, and reviews current concepts of DNA responses and their relationship to the phenomenon of...