© 2006 All Rights Reserved. Do not distribute or repurpose this work without written permission from the copyright holder(s).
Printed from https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/unintentional-unwitting-heroine/
Most cells in the human body can only multiply a certain number of times, then they inevitably die. This limit is named the Hayflick Limit, for the man who first observed and published this observation. In humans, the average cell can divide 52 times. During each division, a portion of the DNA called the Telomere is shortened, and this shortening is suspected to be one of the causes of aging, the eventual degradation of the body, and ultimate death.
So if there were human cells that didn’t degrade with multiplication—that showed no limit in the number of times they could divide, and remain alive forever, so long as the environment were suitable and nutrients were available—to what lengths would scientists go to study them?
It’s not a hypothetical question. Henrietta Lacks doesn’t know it, but she is a leading contributor to the sciences of aging and cancer. She lived in Maryland, mothered five children, and in 1951—at the still young and vital age of 31—died. Her unfortunate demise was the result of cervical cancer, and though the woman has passed away, the cancer remains.
When Mrs Lacks was hospitalized for her illness, the cancer cells were harvested and cultured—this is normal for her treatment. There was no discussion about future use for these cells, but after her death, the remarkable quality of the cells was noticed. The cells were not beholden to the Hayflick Limit, nor did the Telomere shorten on reproduction—each offspring was a perfect copy of the parent. A resident at the hospital named George Gey distributed the cells as a means to research cancer despite the fact he’d received no permission to do so.
To protect her identity, Henrietta’s name was first concealed, instead labeled as having come from “Helen Lane”, hence the name HeLa Cells. Currently most every cancer research facility in the world has some HeLa Cells on hand. Though no one has measured exactly, it is speculated that the volume of HeLa Cells in the world today outweigh the woman from which they first came. The cells are somewhat hard to handle because they grow at such a phenomenal rate, sometimes contaminating other samples in a lab because only a few cells crossed containers in handling, and the HeLa Cells found the rudiments of survival.
In 1975, after the death of George Gey, the family of Henrietta Lacks learned that her cells still lived, and were all over the world.
Despite the fact the these cells have been heroic to the causes of cancer research and the study of aging, they are not without controversy. Some people made fortunes dealing in Henrietta, but her family never received a dime. No one had ever gained permission to deal in her cells, and Henrietta, being a black woman, was of a class traditionally oppressed and taken advantage of, and the notion vexes many.
Aside from that concern there are some that hold the meta-physical concern that the HeLa Cells are a unique, new species on their own right, and having seen one species spawn another opens some interesting ideas for the realm of evolution.
The interest of evolution might be better served by asking why the Lacks family was never consulted about distributing her cells. Was it honestly neglected because no one foresaw the incredible potential, or was the notion rejected for fear they might say no?
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Damn Interesting. What a remarkable article. I hope this woman will eventually gain some sort of recognition for her unwitting contribution.
Wow, pretty amazing! Hope someone finds something really interesting and innovating using these cells!
Crazy. I wonder how common this occurance is. Maybe it is very common, but scientists do not look for it in patients often?
Not too common, Bucky. The HeLa cells are remarkably persistant, fast-growing, and invasive. They’re close to (if not actually) the #1 contaminant in cell culture strains world-wide. Unfortunately for Henrietta Lacks they behaved the same way in her body, and she died very quickly (I believe 3 weeks, but don’t have the documentation to back up my memory) after her diagnosis.
I’m glad to finally know her name, and I hope her family receives some sort of compensation for the immense service that her cells have provided to medical and biological sciences.
Cancer cells grow in irregular shapes and sizes. Do HeLa cells do, too, or do they look normal?
‘Haystack limit’ SB ‘Hayflick limit’.
Cannot offer a citation, but am pretty sure it is named after somebody called ‘Hayflick’ who discovered it.
PeteCresswell said: “‘Haystack limit’ SB ‘Hayflick limit’.
Cannot offer a citation . . .”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayflick_limit
he la cells are like the everyday cell to be used in most research settings, they have differnet characteristics to fresh cell namely adhesion, the rate of growth ability to take up foriegn dna. they are not normal cells because the cancer changed them in many vital areas, they are one of the best approximations of how a cell will function in the body, as fresh cells only last about a month or so (if your nice to them). hela are indistrutible and so loved by researchers.
was told recently that the lack family recieved a honor from the american acedamy of sciences. but in the 1950’s a lot of messing when on the idea of informed consecent was often neglected, adoption, drug trials, operations and treatments were not discussed the patient was not really considered. at least the rights of the patient are now coming to the fore
Hmm.. Could this have been the inspiration for Deadpool??
Wow that is Hela cool har har har.
They can be nasty cells. A guy I worked with used to handle the HeLa cells w/o gloves on. Shortly thereafter, he ended up getting an unfortunate outbreak of warts on his hands. Coincidence?
yes it is a coincidence… warts are caused by a virus not by cancer cells
I think this article needs a follow up. The family may not have given permission, but they at least now get recognition
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/36937/title/Q-A–NIH-Brokers-HeLa-Genome-Deal
EvilFairy- Yes, some very cool things have been done with HeLa cells; the polio vaccine exists because of HeLa; We learned what radiation does to cells, how cells behave in the vacuum of space, and what happens when you subject cells to nuclear energy because of HeLa.
HeLa has been exposed to every disease agent, prescription medications, theoretical treatments… Literally anything done in science to human tissue since the 1950’s has been done with HeLa, and every single medical advancement for humans is due in some part to HeLa cells.
There has never been another cell like it. Even when it seemed scientists cultured another “immortal” cell, it always turns out that it’s been cross contaminated with HeLa, and HeLa took over. This is why it is speculated that HeLa is now it’s own species. They are literally the most unique cells on earth.
Anyone with further interest, should read the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks… excellent look at the woman behind these amazing cells, and her descendants.
Note to self: Finished.