Protein repair refers to the processes that cells use to fix damaged proteins. Proteins can become damaged due to various factors, including oxidative stress, heat, or chemical exposure. When proteins are damaged, they may lose their function, which can lead to cellular problems. Cells have specialized mechanisms to identify and repair these damaged proteins. One common method involves chaperone proteins, which help refold misfolded proteins back into their correct shapes. If a protein is too damaged to be repaired, it may be targeted for degradation, ensuring that only functional proteins remain in the cell.