[Genetic aspects of aging (author's transl)].

The experimental results indicating a primary genetic cause of aging and some diseases of the old age (cancer, arteriosclerosis, immune deficiency, autoimmune diseases) are summarized under two aspects: 1) The genetic influence is determined during the differentiation and development phase of the organism, whereby the direct or indirect (pleiotropic effect) selection of genes of aging, or the missing selection of genes which are acting against aging come into consideration. 2) The dicisive gene alterations take place by spontaneous and/or induced somatic mutations.