HeLa is the most infamous cell in biology, as it was the first cell to be mass replicated. But what is the use of it? Where did it come from?
Both very important questions, which bring us to the John Hopkins Hospital in 1951. The patient was a thirty-one year old mother of five, Henrietta Lacks. Mrs. Lacks was suffering from a malignant tumor on her cervix. Upon discovery, she immediately began radiation therapy.
What wasn’t disclosed, was that a sample of her cells were taken during a normal biopsy. These cells were sent to Dr. George Gey, a researcher, who was interested in cell growth. He had conducted research with other cells, but Mrs. Lacks’s cells were the first to grow. In fact they doubled every twenty hours!
This was a shocking discovery and proved important to the scientific community. Her cells were being sent and sold to scientists all over the world.
However, Henrietta still lay unknowingly in the hospital bed. She later went on to pass away on October 4th, 1951. In fact, no one new whose cells these were until recent years.
Her cells were used to cure polio, and start cancer research. In other words, it is clear her cells made huge bounds in science–but they also bring up huge moral questions.
Is it okay to take someone’s cells without their consent? Her children, outraged, believe it is not okay. Lawrence, Sunny, and David have publicly stated their strong distaste for the John Hopkins Hospital. And, many activists challenge, was there an Institution Review Board? Who approved this?
Her family also notes taking her cells without her consent could also be due to her race. Many Americans hate to admit the intense segregation faced in the fifties and sixties, however Mrs. Lacks proves the effects of segregation.
Mrs. Lacks has contributed arguably the most information to science by a single person. Although, we can not undo the past, we can honor her legacy–and celebrate the strong women she was.
In fact, if you are interested in reading more in-depth, feel free to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks written by Rebecca Skloot.
Do you have an opinion on the case of Henrietta Lacks and her stolen cells? What do you think Dr. Gey should have done instead?
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/index.html
Abigail Smith
Milliennial Science 