HeLa cells

Unwittingly, Henrietta Lacks made an unparalleled contribution to medical science. In 1951, Henrietta Lacks sought help for abnormal vaginal bleeding. A tumour on her cervix was biopsied, and she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Despite treatment, she died within a year. A sample of her cancer cells, taken without her knowledge or consent, was sent to Dr George Gey. Dr Gey was astonished because, unlike other human cells he had tried to grow in the lab, these cells did not die within a few generations. Henrietta’s cancer cells were immortal. They were called ‘HeLa’ cells, after the first two letters of her first and last name. HeLa cells have helped develop the polio vaccine and furthered our understanding of cellular biology without having to experiment on live humans. HeLa cells were even sent into space during the first explorations to determine if humans can survive in zero gravity. The cells from Henrietta Lacks are the oldest and most commonly used human cell lines in scientific research today.