Somatic gene therapy or germ line gene therapy

Gene therapy can be divided into somatic gene therapy and germ line gene therapy, depending on the cells in which the genetic material is altered:

• In the case of somatic gene therapy the genetic material of human cells are altered. Such alterations cannot be genetically transferred.
• In the case of germ line gene therapy the genetic material of gametes are altered.  The alterations are transferred to the offspring and are therefore genetically transferred. This form of gene therapy is prohibited in the Netherlands.