The discovery of HeLa cells has been important to cancer treatment and biomedical research as a whole. Its name comes from ‘Henrietta Lacks’, who had cervical cancer and was treated at John Hopkins University. Her doctor had collected a sample of her cancer cells and compared it with other cervical patients in the hospital. He noticed that her cells kept dividing indefinitely while the other patients’ cells had died out, leading to the HeLa cells being known as the first “immortal” cells. Having characteristics of growing and multiplying rapidly, and having errors in its genome, HeLa cells are found to be cancerous as well.
Since, HeLa cells were used to make many scientific discoveries including being used in outer space to make advancements in cervical cancer research. These cells were first used to study the growth of a pathogen that causes polio, which helped develop the polio vaccine across the U.S. In 1964, HeLa cells were sent into space to help scientists learn how astronauts and their cells are impacted from radiation. In 1985, the cells were used to see whether the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can lead to various types of cervical cancer. During this time of the HIV-AIDS epidemic, scientists were able to get a sense of what the HIV infection was through the use of the HeLa cells.
Most recently, these cells also aided in COVID-19 research. The virus was studied using HeLa cells, and the study that led to the identification of SARS-CoV-2 was with the help of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.
Overall, HeLa cells have revolutionized science research and have helped in making discoveries in various areas in the medical field.
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