User:Angela432/HeLa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
HeLa (/ˈhiːlɑː/; also Hela or hela) is an immortal cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest and most commonly used human cell line.[1] The line was derived from cervical cancer cells taken on February 8, 1951[2] from Henrietta Lacks, a patient who died of cancer on October 4, 1951. The cell line was found to be remarkably durable and prolific, which gives rise to its extensive use in scientific research.[3]
The cells from Lacks's cancerous cervical tumor were taken without her knowledge or consent, which was common practice at the time.[4] Cell biologist George Otto Gey found that they could be kept alive,[5] and developed a cell line. Previously, cells cultured from other human cells would only survive for a few days. Cells from Lacks' tumor behaved differently. As was custom for Gey's lab assistant, she labeled the culture 'HeLa', the first two letters of the patient's first and last name; this became the name of the cell line. HeLa cells are now the most commonly used cell line in the world because of their resilience, which has also lead to the issue of contamination.