Introduction:

Imagine a single discovery that revolutionized medicine, saved millions of lives, and sparked one of the biggest ethical debates in history. This is the story of HeLa cells, the first immortal human cell line, taken in 1951 from a woman named Henrietta Lacks—without her knowledge or consent.

HeLa cells have played a crucial role in developing the polio vaccine, advancing cancer research, understanding viruses like HIV and Zika, and even space experiments. Scientists have used these cells to map human genes, study radiation effects, and create groundbreaking medical treatments. However, while HeLa cells have transformed science, Henrietta Lacks’ family never received recognition or compensation for decades, raising serious questions about medical ethics and patient rights.

This article explores the fascinating story of HeLa cells, their incredible contributions to science, and the controversies surrounding their use, highlighting how one woman’s cells changed the world forever.

HeLa cells are a special type of human cells used in scientific research. They are the oldest and most commonly used human cell line. These cells are strong and grow quickly, making them useful for many kinds of experiments.

HeLa cells come from a woman named Henrietta Lacks, who was a 31-year-old mother of five. Doctors took cells from her cervical cancer tumor on February 8, 1951, without telling her. At that time, it was common for doctors to take patient samples without permission. Henrietta Lacks died from cancer on October 4, 1951.

A scientist named George Otto Gey discovered that these cells could survive and keep growing in a lab. Before this, human cells used in research would only live for a few days. But HeLa cells were different—they kept multiplying, creating the first immortal cell line.

History

Discovery and Naming

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks went to Johns Hopkins Hospital because she had irregular vaginal bleeding. Doctors found out she had cervical cancer and started her treatment.

During her first treatment, a doctor named Lawrence Wharton Jr. took samples of tissue from her cervix without asking her permission. These samples were sent to George Otto Gey, a scientist studying human cells.

In his lab, Gey’s assistant, Mary Kubicek, used a special method called the roller-tube technique to grow the cells. The scientists noticed something amazing—Henrietta’s cells were different from any other human cells they had studied before. They grew quickly and doubled every 20–24 hours, while other cells usually died after a few days.

Before Henrietta Lacks passed away from cervical cancer in 1951, scientist George Otto Gey successfully grew her cells in his lab. This was the first time human cells survived and multiplied outside the body, which became a major breakthrough for medical research.

In George Otto Gey’s lab, it was common to name cell cultures using the first two letters of the donor’s first and last name. That’s how Henrietta Lacks’ cells became known as HeLa (Henrietta + Lacks).

For many years, people mistakenly believed that HeLa cells came from someone named “Helen Lane” or “Helen Larson”. This mistake was published in scientific articles before the truth was revealed in 1973 in the journal Nature. No one knows exactly how or why this mix-up happened.

Controversy Over Consent

Gey shared HeLa cells freely with scientists around the world, hoping they would help in new discoveries. However, Henrietta Lacks and her family were never asked for permission to take or use her cells.

Later, companies commercialized HeLa cells, but they were never patented in their original form. At that time, there were no laws requiring doctors to inform patients or their families if their cells were used

for research. Anything removed during surgery, diagnosis, or treatment was considered the property of the hospital or doctor.

Henrietta Lacks and the Fight for Patient Rights

Henrietta Lacks’ case is one of many examples of patients not giving consent for their tissues to be used in research. In the 20th century, doctors often took cells from patients without telling them what they would be used for. There was little to no communication between doctors and patients about these matters.

Johns Hopkins Hospital, where Henrietta was treated, was the only hospital in Baltimore that provided free care to African American patients at the time. However, many of these patients unknowingly became research subjects. Henrietta’s family had no access to her medical records and no control over how HeLa cells were used or who received them. Even though HeLa cells became highly valuable in science, her family never received any financial benefit and struggled with limited access to healthcare.

Legal Battles Over Tissue Ownership

In 1990, the issue of who owns human tissue used in research was taken to court in the Moore v. Regents of the University of California case. The Supreme Court of California ruled that once a person’s cells are removed, they are no longer their property and can be commercialized.

Henrietta’s case helped create the Common Rule in 1991, which requires doctors to get patient consent before using their medical information for research. It also made sure that tissue samples were no longer named after the donor, but instead given code numbers for privacy.

To protect the privacy of Henrietta’s genetic information, Johns Hopkins, the NIH, and her family formed a joint committee to decide who can access her genome.

Recent Lawsuits for Compensation

In 2021, Henrietta Lacks’ estate sued Thermo Fisher Scientific for allegedly making money from HeLa cells without permission. Her family also planned to take legal action against over 100 pharmaceutical companies that profited from HeLa cells.

In August 2023, the lawsuit against Thermo Fisher Scientific was settled in secret. Later, the Lacks family announced a new lawsuit against the company Ultragenyx, continuing their fight for compensation.

Modern Applications

HeLa Cells: A Scientific Breakthrough in Medicine and Research

First Human Cells to Be Cloned

In 1953, scientists Theodore Puck and Philip I. Marcus at the University of Colorado successfully cloned HeLa cells, making them the first human cells ever cloned. Since then, HeLa cells have been used for cancer research, AIDS studies, gene mapping, testing the effects of radiation and toxins, and much more. By 2009, over 60,000 scientific papers had been published on HeLa cells, with 300 new studies every month.

HeLa Cells and the Fight Against Polio

In the 1950s, Jonas Salk used HeLa cells to test the first polio vaccine. Scientists noticed that these cells were easily infected by the polio virus, making them perfect for vaccine research. Because so many cells were needed, a cell factory was built at Tuskegee University in 1953 to mass-produce HeLa cells for vaccine testing. Less than a year later, Salk’s vaccine was ready for human trials.

HeLa Cells in Virus Research

HeLa cells have helped scientists understand and fight many viruses, including:

• Parvovirus (infects humans, dogs, and cats)
• Oropouche virus (OROV) (causes infected cells to die quickly)
• Canine distemper virus (used in studies to treat cancer cells resistant to radiation and chemotherapy)
• HIV, Zika, mumps, herpes, and measles

In 1980, scientist Harald zur Hausen discovered that HeLa cells from Henrietta Lacks contained HPV-18, the virus responsible for her cervical cancer. This discovery led to the development of the HPV vaccine, which has reduced cervical cancer deaths by 70%.

HeLa Cells in Cancer Research

HeLa cells have been widely used to study and test cancer treatments. Some key contributions include:

• Research on hormones like estrogen and estradiol and their role in cancer growth
• Testing quercetin, flavonoids, and antioxidants for potential cancer-fighting effects
• Developing new cancer-detecting dyes (like IR-808) for personalized treatments
• Photodynamic therapy (using light-sensitive drugs to kill cancer cells)
• Helping identify RNA markers in cancer cells, leading to better detection and treatments

In 2014, scientists used HeLa cells to create tumors in mice, helping them study new treatments for cervical cancer using fluoxetine (an antidepressant) and cisplatin (a chemotherapy drug).

HeLa Cells and Genetics

In 1953, a lab mistake led to a huge discovery—scientists accidentally stained HeLa cells, making chromosomes visible and countable for the first time. This allowed researchers Joe Hin Tjio and Albert Levan to prove that humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, not 24 as previously thought. This breakthrough helped in studying genetic disorders like Down syndrome.

In 1965, scientists Henry Harris and John Watkins fused HeLa cells with mouse cells, creating the first human-animal hybrid. This research helped scientists map human genes, eventually leading to the Human Genome Project.

HeLa Cells in Space Research

In the 1960s, HeLa cells were sent into space on the Soviet satellite Sputnik-6 and later on human space missions. Scientists found that HeLa cells divide faster in zero gravity, helping researchers understand how space affects human cells.

The Immortal Legacy of HeLa Cells

HeLa cells have played a key role in medical breakthroughs, vaccines, cancer research, genetics, and even space exploration. Despite their impact, Henrietta Lacks and her family were never compensated for their contribution, raising important ethical questions about patient rights and medical research.

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