DNA polymerase plays a crucial role in DNA replication by synthesizing new strands of DNA complementary to the template strands. This enzyme catalyzes the addition of dNTPs (deoxynucleotide triphosphates) to the growing DNA chain. It also has proofreading capabilities, allowing it to correct errors during replication, thus maintaining genetic fidelity. Additionally, DNA polymerase requires a short RNA primer to begin replication and can only add nucleotides in the 5' to 3' direction. This process is vital for cell division, enabling the genetic information to be accurately passed on to daughter cells.