HeLa cells are cells collected from Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was an African-American woman whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. An immortalized cell line reproduces indefinitely under specific conditions, and the He…
Polio (poliomyelitis)
A viral infection causing nerve injury which leads to partial or full paralysis.
What are HeLa cells and why they are important?
- Wash cultured cells with Eagle's medium
- Fix the cells in formaldehyde for about 10 minutes (at about 4 degrees Celsius)
- Wash the cells about 3 times using 0.44M sucrose in cacodylate buffer
- Expose the cells to the DAB incubation medium for about 3 hours
- Wash the cells twice at room temperature using sucrose in Tris buffer
How much money did the HeLa cells make?
They were the first cells ever commercialized, and that was in the 1950s," said Skloot. "You know, you can buy online HeLa cells or products made from HeLa cells for anywhere from about $200 to about $10,000 a vial." "But it's an incalculable amount of money?" Axelrod asked.
What are some ethical issues associated with the HeLa cells?
“Henrietta Lacks’s story has brought public attention to a number of ethical issues in biomedical research, including the role of informed consent, privacy, and commercialization in the collection, use and dissemination of biospecimens,” Dr. Shields says.
What did HeLa cells accomplish?
5 important ways Henrietta Lacks changed medical science
- Vaccinating girls against cancer. In the early 1980s, German virologist Harald zur Hausen found that HeLa cells contained multiple copies of human papillomavirus 18 (HPV-18), a strain of HPV later ...
- Showing us how cells stay young. ...
- Eradicating polio. ...
- Mapping the human genome. ...
- Creating the field of virology. ...
How did the development of the HeLa cell line affect society?
Over the past several decades, this cell line has contributed to many medical breakthroughs, from research on the effects of zero gravity in outer space and the development of polio and COVID-19 vaccines, to the study of leukemia, the AIDS virus and cancer worldwide.
What is the importance of studying HeLa cells?
HeLa cells have been used to test the effects of radiation, cosmetics, toxins, and other chemicals on human cells. They have been instrumental in gene mapping and studying human diseases, especially cancer.
What are HeLa cells used for today?
Today, these incredible cells — nicknamed "HeLa" cells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without experimenting on humans.
What contribution did Henrietta Lacks make to society?
Eradicating polio At the time of Lacks's death, polio was one of the world's most devastating viral diseases. HeLa cells helped make the vaccine available sooner.
How did Henrietta Lacks contribute to science?
Henrietta's cells were the first immortal human cells ever grown in culture. They were essential to developing the polio vaccine. They went up in the first space missions to see what would happen to cells in zero gravity.
How has the study of HeLa cells helped modern medicine?
Scientists use HeLa cells to discover how the presence of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can lead to certain types of cervical cancer. The discovery that HPV can lead to cervical cancer paves the way for development of one of the first anti-cancer vaccines. This work later leads to a Nobel Prize in 2008 for Dr.
How have HeLa cells helped science?
Scientists around the world have used HeLa cells to drive different areas of medicine forward: Vaccines. In the early 1950s, scientists learned they could grow large amounts of the virus that causes polio disease in HeLa cells. This gave them a better understanding of how the virus infected cells and caused disease.
How many lives have HeLa cells saved?
10 million livesIn total it's estimated that HeLa cells have saved over 10 million lives. While Lacks' importance to medical research is extraordinary, her story also shines a light on the roots of racial injustice and the disproportionate inequities in health care.
1. Polio eradication
Jonas Salk had developed a polio vaccine in the early 1950’s but was struggling to find a way to test it in field trials as traditionally used rhesus monkey cells were too expensive for such a large-scale study. In 1952, HeLa cells were found to be both susceptible to, but not killed by polio, making them an ideal source of host cells.
2. Improved cell culture practices
During the mass production and distribution of HeLa cells for polio vaccine testing at Tuskegee University, lead researchers Brown and Henderson pioneered new cell culture protocols, such as the use of rubber-lined screw-capped bottles and tubes and strict QC measures.
3. Chromosome counting
Rebecca Skloot describes in her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, how a lab mix up in Texas in 1953 accidentally enabled researchers to see and count each chromosome clearly in the HeLa cells they were working with.
4. Genome mapping
Harris and Watkins created the first human-animal hybrids in 1965, by fusing HeLa cells with mouse cells. Despite the fears and uncertainties from the general public at the time, this accomplishment enabled great advances in mapping genes to specific chromosomes, and in later years, the Human Genome Project.
5. Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines
In the 1980’s, Henrietta’s cells were found to contain HPV-18 by Harald zur Hausen, who later went on to win a Nobel Prize for his discovery linking HPV and cervical cancer.
What are the achievements of HeLa cells?
Notable Achievements Using HeLa Cells. HeLa cells have been used to test the effects of radiation, cosmetics, toxins, and other chemicals on human cells. They have been instrumental in gene mapping and studying human diseases, especially cancer.
What is a HeLa cell?
HeLa cells are the first immortal human cell line. The cells came from a cervical cancer sample obtained from Henrietta Lack in 1951, without her knowledge or permission. HeLa cells have led to many important scientific discoveries, yet there are disadvantages to working with them. HeLa cells have led to the examination ...
How many chromosomes are in HeLa?
Henrietta Lacks (and other humans) have 46 chromosomes (diploid or a set of 23 pairs), while the HeLa genome consists of 76 to 80 chromosome (hypertriploid, including 22 to 25 abnormal chromosomes). The extra chromosomes came from the infection by human papilloma virus that led to cancer. While HeLa cells resemble normal human cells in many ways, they are neither normal nor entirely human. Thus, there are limitations to their use.
What was the first immortal cell line?
The World's First Immortal Human Cell Line. HeLa cervical cancer cells were the first immortal cell line. HeitiPaves / Getty Images. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
Why don't HeLa cells die?
Researchers believe the reason HeLa cells don't suffer programmed death is because they maintain a version of the enzyme telomerase that prevents gradual shortening of the telomeres of chromosomes. Telomere shortening is implicated in aging and death.
When was HeLa created?
The cell line grew from a sample of cervical cancer cells taken from an African-American woman named Henrietta Lacks on February 8, 1951. The lab assistant responsible for the samples named cultures based on the first two letters of a patient's first and last name, thus the culture was dubbed HeLa. In 1953, Theodore Puck ...
How long does it take for a cell to die after a cell division?
Normally, human cell cultures die within a few days after a set number of cell divisions via a process called senescence. This presents a problem for researchers because experiments using normal cells cannot be repeated on identical cells (clones), nor can the same cells be used for extended study.
What was the contribution of HeLa cells to science?
HeLa cells contribution to science wasn’t just limited to the field of medicine. HeLa cells accompanied both Russian and American astronauts into space (scientists wanted to study the effects of space travel on human cells).
Why were HeLa cells used in the Cold War?
HeLa cells were exposed to high levels of radiation to explore the cellular effects of nuclear fallout —it was the era of the Cold War—and placed in centrifuges to simulate high- and low-gravity. They were also used by cosmetics manufacturers to test their products.
When did scientists discover that HeLa cells could be made to fuse in culture?
Scientists had discovered that cells could be made to fuse in culture—that is, they would combine their genetic material, much like sperm fertilizes an egg. In 1965 , two British researchers successfully fused HeLa cells with mouse cells.
What enabled researchers around the world to grow cells in their laboratories consistently and efficiently?
The standardization of the field of tissue culture, which enabled researchers around the world to grow cells in their laboratories consistently and efficiently;
What was the purpose of the study that Henrietta was buried in?
Around the same time that Henrietta was buried, an ambitious study was launched to prove the effectiveness of Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine. The study necessitated a tremendous number of cultured human cells—HeLa cells, initially provided by George Gey and grown in massive quantities at the Tuskegee Institute, the renowned black university.
What are HeLa cells?
HeLa cells are cells collected from Henrietta Lacks that have helped in many different medical advancements. HeLa cells helped to create in vitro fertilization, the polio vaccine, and some cancer treatments, to name a few. They were cervical cancer cells that served as an immortal cell line for scientific research. HeLa cells were the first line of human cells that survived in a test tube. They were taken and grown by Dr. George Gey in 1951.
How many HeLa cells are there in the world?
The cells have survived for over 60 years and there are billions of HeLa cells all around the world. The total amount of HeLa cells is said to equate to approximately 20 tons. The cells can reproduce endlessly because they are cancer cells. Normal cells can only divide so many times as a result of the telomeres
Why did Lacks family members not read scientific journals?
They could not read and comprehend scientific journals that researchers rarely gave them in order to better understand the contributions HeLa cells made to cancer research. The family only became aggravated when the first mainstream article published about Henrietta Lacks in Rolling Stone Magazine said that HeLa cells were once being sold
Who discovered Hela?
The Discovery of the HeLa Disease The discovery of Hela is from a woman named Henrietta Lacks, a woman who was a strong and hard working mother. HeLa is the first immortal cell line that was experimented by experts. Henrietta Lacks who was a woman who put her family always first, while battling a cancerous disease. Henrietta’s disease would be famous all over the world, but without her consent of her medical condition being tested and observed. The Hela cells were derived from Henrietta Lacks’
Who was the scientist who discovered Henrietta's tumor?
passed away at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A researcher George Gey was given the cells of Henrietta’s tumor for research. George Gey discovered that Henrietta’s cells were unique and did something by no means seen before; they could be kept alive and grow. Before Henrietta’s cells, cultured cells would only be able to survive a few days. More time was spent on observing and preserving Henrietta’s cells than actually using them for research. It was
How did Henrietta Lacks die?
Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 of cervical cancer, leaving behind a husband, five children and some cells taken from her without her permission. These cells continue to revolutionize the scientific field today and have played an integral role in some of the most important advances in medicine: cloning, chemotherapy, gene mapping, the polio vaccine and in vitro fertilization. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks answers a lot of questions regarding the Lacks family, but also poses a number of questions
Why are HeLa cells used?
HeLa cells have been used to test many drugs to determine their effects on the human body. Because of this testing, many new drugs have been produced, helping pharmaceutical companies and consumers.
What is a HeLa cell?
HeLa cells are human cervical cancer cells that are now part of an immortal cell line.
When was HeLa used?
HeLa cells were used to test the polio vaccine in 1952. This vaccine has saved the lives of millions.
What is the HeLa cell line?
The story behind the HeLa cell line is now widely known (129): Henrietta Lacks, a 30-year-old African American woman with five children, was diagnosed with an unusually aggressive form of cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1951. Tissue samples were taken during her diagnosis and treatment, and portions were passed along to a researcher without her knowledge or permission, as was common practice at the time. Researchers had long endeavored without success to grow human cells outside the body, and it soon became clear that Henrietta’s cancer cells—labeled “HeLa” based on the initial letters of her first and last names—were capable of surviving and dividing in culture indefinitely. The cancer quickly took Henrietta’s life, but HeLa cells remain viable today and have been used in laboratories around the world for a vast array of biomedical research. Although the original researchers gave the cells away to anyone who asked, the cell line and downstream discoveries became extremely lucrative—while the Lacks family received no financial benefits and continued to live in poverty with limited access to health care.
What is the role of Henrietta Lacks in biospecimen research?
This review reflects on the role of the HeLa controversy and public opinion data more generally in the development of biospecimen research policy , and the need for informed consent approaches that are guided by realistic aspirations and a balanced view of autonomy within an expanded ethical framework.
Why are biospecimens important?
Human biospecimens have played a crucial role in scientific and medical advances, and their continued widespread availability for research will be vital to realizing the goals of precision medicine (13). Discoveries from biospecimen research have led to new understandings of human biology and targeted approaches to detecting and treating health conditions, as well as reducing the risk of future disease. In oncology research, for example, biospecimen use has increased dramatically in recent decades (67), helping illuminate molecular mechanisms that drive cancer and generating knowledge that, in some instances, has profound implications for risk assessment, diagnostic categorization, and novel therapeutic strategies (26).
What were the themes of the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?
Nisbet & Fahy (99) found that, in the popular press, informed consent dominated discussion of the book. The welfare of the vulnerable and compensation were also prominent themes. Scientific progress, patient control, and accountability were discussed to a lesser degree, and privacy, public education, and advocacy even less so. Discussion in professional literature comprised a similar array of themes, including marked emphasis on informed consent (20, 22,33,37, 49, 79, 123, 135, 147), as well as commercialization and compensation (123, 141); privacy and confidentiality (20, 33, 49); race, poverty, and health disparities (42, 123); familial implications of genetic information (14, 22,64, 96, 135); ownership of biospecimens (22, 123); and trust in biomedical research (135).
Why are federal regulations important?
In the United States, federal regulations (known as the Common Rule) were developed in response to revelations of extreme research abuses of vulnerable populations; these regulations were designed primarily to protect human beings from physical risks involved in experimental research. They set forth provisions for informed consent and oversight by an institutional review board (IRB) that, with limited exceptions, must be met in federally funded research.
Is the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a book?
Although the ethical and policy issues associated with biospecimen research have long been the subject of scholarly analysis and debate (48, 118, 124), the publication of Rebecca Skloot’s bestselling book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks(130) captured the attention of a much broader audience. The book is a popular teaching tool and book club favorite (138), and the book and its author have been the subject of numerous reviews, news stories, features, commentaries, profiles, and interviews (99).
Do you have to consent to future research?
Individuals are asked to consent to all future research with no limitations or
When was HeLa used in human cells?
Then, in 1989 , Yale scientist Gregg Morin used HeLa cells to isolate the same enzyme in human cells for the first time. Morin hypothesized that this enzyme, found in cancer cells, was also how embryonic cells were able to rapidly divide at the beginning of life.
How long have HeLa cells been used?
The HeLa cells survived, thrived, and multiplied outside her body, so much so that they have been in continual use in labs around the world for 65 years, even though Lacks herself succumbed to cancer in 1951.
What was the cause of Lacks' cancer?
In the early 1980s, German virologist Harald zur Hausen found that HeLa cells contained multiple copies of human papillomavirus 18 (HPV-18), a strain of HPV later found to cause the type of cervical cancer that killed Lacks. HPV-18 was found to be one of the most dangerous strains of the virus, inserting its DNA into normal cells and forcing them to produce proteins that ultimately lead to cancer. In Lacks’s case, the virus entered the cells and turned off the gene that would normally have suppressed the formation of tumors. Years later, scientists used that knowledge to develop HPV vaccines, which are now widely available and credited with reducing cases of HPV infection in teenage girls by almost two-thirds. Harald zur Hausen won a 2008 Nobel prize for his discovery.
Why is H. Enrietta Lacks so famous?
Her fame was thanks to an award-winning book published in 2010 that explored how, in the course of Lacks’s treatment for cancer, doctors isolated what became the first “immortal” human cells.
Why do cells stay young?
Because of the seemingly limitless lifespans of Lacks’s cells, we now understand better how some cells manage to stay “young” even with the passage of time. Usually, as cells divide — either as a person grows or as the body repairs injuries — each division lops off the ends of chromosomes, called telomeres. Over time that means that the chromosomes become slightly shorter, which is thought to be a driver of cell aging.
When did HeLa cells become human?
In in mid-1960s, HeLa cells were fused with mouse cells, creating the first documented human-animal hybrid cells. Those cells, in turn, became important in the early days of gene mapping. Because every hybrid would have a different assortment of human and mouse genes, scientists could look at what proteins a cell did or didn’t produce and deduce which human gene they were produced by. Those techniques evolved over time into the fine-scale map of the human genome that emerged from the Human Genome Project.
When was the Lacks genome removed from public view?
European scientists later published Lacks’ genome, but removed it from public view after her family protested. In 2013, the National Institutes of Health and Lacks’s descendants released a special set of rules for handling the Lacks genome.
What It Means to Be Immortal
Notable Achievements Using Hela Cells
- During the mass production and distribution of HeLa cells for polio vaccine testing at Tuskegee University, lead researchers Brown and Henderson pioneered new cell culture protocols, such as the use of rubber-lined screw-capped bottles and tubes and strict QC measures. The temperature sensitive nature of HeLa cells also led the researchers to use m...
Disadvantages of Using Hela Cells
Issues of Consent and Privacy
References and Suggested Reading
- HeLa cells have been used to test the effects of radiation, cosmetics, toxins, and other chemicals on human cells. They have been instrumental in gene mapping and studying human diseases, especially cancer. However, the most significant application of HeLa cells may have been in the development of the first polio vaccine. HeLa cells were used to ma...