HeLa

For other uses, see Hela (disambiguation).

Scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic HeLa cell. Zeiss Merlin HR-SEM.
Multiphoton fluorescence image of cultured HeLa cells with a fluorescent protein targeted to the Golgi apparatus (orange), microtubules (green) and counterstained for DNA (cyan). Nikon RTS2000MP custom laser scanning microscope.
Immunofluorescence image of HeLa cells grown in tissue culture and stained with antibody to actin in green, vimentin in red and DNA in blue
Immunofluorescence of HeLa cells showing microtubules in green, mitochondria in yellow, nucleoli in red and nuclear DNA in purple

HeLa (/ˈhiːlɑː/) is an immortalized cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest human cell line and one of the most commonly used.[1][2] HeLa cells are durable and prolific, allowing for extensive applications in scientific study.[3][4] The line is derived from cervical cancer cells taken on February 8, 1951,[5] from Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African American mother of five, after whom the line is named. Lacks died of cancer on October 4, 1951.[6]

The cells from Lacks's cancerous cervical tumor were taken without her knowledge, which was common practice in the United States at the time.[7] Cell biologist George Otto Gey found that they could be kept alive,[8] and developed a cell line. Previously, cells cultured from other human cells would survive for only a few days, but cells from Lacks's tumor behaved differently.

  1. ^ Rahbari R, Sheahan T, Modes V, Collier P, Macfarlane C, Badge RM (2009). "A novel L1 retrotransposon marker for HeLa cell line identification". BioTechniques. 46 (4): 277–284. doi:10.2144/000113089. PMC 2696096. PMID 19450234.
  2. ^ Morris, Rhys Bowen (August 2, 2023). "What were the top 100 cell lines of 2022?". CiteAb Blog. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  3. ^ Capes-Davis A, Theodosopoulos G, Atkin I, Drexler HG, Kohara A, MacLeod RA, Masters JR, Nakamura Y, Reid YA, Reddel RR, Freshney RI (2010). "Check your cultures! A list of cross-contaminated or misidentified cell lines". Int. J. Cancer. 127 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1002/ijc.25242. PMID 20143388. S2CID 2929020.
  4. ^ Batts DW (May 10, 2010). "Cancer cells killed Henrietta Lacks – then made her immortal". The Virginian-Pilot. pp. 1, 12–14. Archived from the original on November 25, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  5. ^ Scherer, W.F.; Syverton, J.T.; Gey, G.O. (1953). "Studies on the propagation in vitro of poliomyelitis viruses. IV. Viral multiplication in a stable strain of human malignant epithelial cells (strain HeLa) derived from an epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix". Journal of Experimental Medicine. 97 (5): 695–710. doi:10.1084/jem.97.5.695. PMC 2136303. PMID 13052828.
  6. ^ "Johns Hopkins Magazine -- April 2000". pages.jh.edu.
  7. ^ Ron Claiborne; Sydney Wright, IV (January 31, 2010). "How One Woman's Cells Changed Medicine". ABC World News. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  8. ^ McKie, Robin (April 3, 2010). "Henrietta Lacks's cells were priceless, but her family can't afford a hospital". The Guardian. London. Retrieved July 18, 2017.