They are called the HELA Cells, and even though you may not know what it refers to, my guess is that you have already encountered this miracle of modern science. It started with a lady...an African American lady...a descendent of slaves, whose name was Henrietta Lacks, in 1951. This was the year Henrietta Lacks died...and she has saved millions of us since then. She was 31 then, a mother of five and a most wonderful wife...to be sure. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and parts of the tumor was removed for research. It was soon discovered that her cells, were very special, and could be kept alive and made to divide outside of a living human body, limitlessly. They were called Hela cells after her. Their first amazing feat soon after, was enabling scientists to develop a vaccine for Polio. Her cells have been shipped all over the world ever since and has helped to develop many medicines.
HeLa cells are termed "immortal" in that they can divide an unlimited number of times in a suitable, laboratory cell culture environment, provided that fundamental cell survival conditions are maintained. There are many strains of HeLa cells as they continue to evolve by being grown in cell cultures, but all HeLa cells are descended from the same tumor cells removed from Mrs. Lacks. Some say that she is the most "valuable" woman that ever lived, and has caused millions and even billions to live as a result. You had your polio shot didn't you? So did the rest of the world...
More than Twenty years after this discovery was made and used....her family was finally informed...in the 1970's. They were never paid and were told by the courts that they had no rights to get paid at all...was that right?...is that right? You decide.
Sites for more info...
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2010/01/st_henrietta_f.jpg
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/immortal-life-henrietta-lacks-excerpt/story?id=9712490
http://www.virology.ws/2009/02/09/the-amazing-hela-cells-of-henrietta-lacks/
http://helacells.com/Immortality_of_Hela_cells.html
Or just Google Hela Cells
Showing posts with label Hela Cells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hela Cells. Show all posts
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)