So DNA replication is the process by which our cell copies its original DNA to produce two identical copies of that DNA and one of the copies can be passed down to the offspring and the other copy can remain in that original cell. Now DNA replication is known as a semiconservative process and this basically means that each one of the DNA copies that is produced contains one original strand and one synthesized strand. And to see what we mean by that concept, let's take a look at the following diagram. So this diagram basically summarizes the net result of DNA replication. So let's suppose we begin with the following double helix. Now if the upper strand of DNA runs from the three to the five direction, then the bottom strand runs from the five to three direction because these two strands are known to be antiparallel, they run parallel bond in opposite directions and these two individual single strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between the bases.