Abstract— The levels of DNA excision repair, as measured by unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) and the UV‐endonuclease sensitive site assay, were compared in cells derived from human fetal brain and dermal tissues. The level of UDS induced following ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was found to be lower (approx. 60%) in the fetal brain cells than in fetal dermal cells. It was determined, using the UV‐endonuclease sensitive site assay to confirm the UDS observation, that 50% of the dimers induced by UV in fetal dermal cells were repaired in 8h, while only 15% were removed in the fetal brain cells during the same period of time. Even after 24 h, only 44% of the dimers induced by UV in the fetal brain cells were repaired, while 65% were removed in the dermal cells. These data suggest that cultured human fetal brain cells exhibit lower levels of excision repair compared to cultured human fetal dermal cells.