Henrietta Lacks stands as a significant figure in the history of modern medicine. Her story is a complex narrative that intertwines scientific advancement with deeply personal experiences and enduring ethical considerations. This article explores her life, the scientific discoveries her cells enabled, and her lasting legacy in medical research and patient rights. Exploring her narrative offers insights into a pivotal moment in biomedical history and its ongoing impact.
The Personal Story of Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1920. She was a young African American mother and tobacco farmer who lived in Clover, Virginia, before moving to Turner Station, a historically Black community near Baltimore, Maryland. A mother of five, she sought medical attention for unusual cervical symptoms.
In 1951, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of the few institutions providing medical care to Black patients, in segregated wards. During her treatment, tissue samples were taken from her without her consent. She passed away on October 4, 1951, at age 31, and was buried in an unmarked grave.
The Immortal HeLa Cell Line
During Henrietta Lacks’s treatment at Johns Hopkins, a sample of her cervical tissue was collected by Dr. George Gey, a researcher at the hospital. This collection occurred without her consent, a practice common at the time. Dr. Gey’s team had tried to grow human cells in the lab for years, but most samples died.
Her cells behaved differently. They not only survived but replicated continuously and indefinitely outside the body, forming the first “immortal” human cell line. This ability to grow and divide without limit made them valuable for scientific research, providing an endless supply of identical human cells for experiments. The cells were named “HeLa” by combining the first two letters of her first and last names.
Scientific Breakthroughs from HeLa Cells
The HeLa cell line became a valuable tool, leading to many scientific and medical advancements. These cells were instrumental in the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s, allowing scientists to grow large quantities of the poliovirus to study its infection mechanisms and lay foundational knowledge for vaccine creation.
HeLa cells played a role in cancer research, helping scientists understand how viruses, like Human Papillomavirus (HPV), contribute to cervical cancer. This understanding led to the development of HPV vaccines, which prevent cervical cancer. Researchers used HeLa cells to explore the effects of radiation and chemotherapy on human cells, aiding cancer treatment development.
Beyond cancer and vaccines, HeLa cells contributed to gene mapping, with early experiments fusing HeLa cells with mouse cells to map genes to specific chromosomes. They were also the first human cells successfully cloned and sent into space to study the effects of zero gravity. HeLa cells have been used in research for diseases such as AIDS, Parkinson’s, leukemia, and in the development of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Their widespread use has enabled over 110,000 research publications and continues to support medical research globally.
The Ethical Legacy and Accessing Her Story
The story of Henrietta Lacks raises ethical questions about patient rights, informed consent, and racial equity in medical research. Her cells were taken and widely distributed without her consent, a common practice at the time that highlighted the lack of protections for biological materials. For decades, her family remained unaware of the scientific impact of her cells.
The Lacks family learned about the HeLa cell line in the 1970s, more than 20 years after Henrietta’s death. This led to confusion and distress about her cells being used without their consent. This discovery highlighted issues of commercialization, as companies profited from HeLa cells while her family received no financial compensation. The case underscored historical injustices and mistrust in medicine among some minority communities.
Rebecca Skloot’s book, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” published in 2010, is a definitive account of this story. This bestselling nonfiction work details the scientific journey of HeLa cells and the Lacks family’s experience. The most responsible way to access her story is by purchasing the book, borrowing it from a local library, or watching the HBO film adaptation. For those seeking scientific PDFs related to HeLa cells, academic databases such as Google Scholar or PubMed are appropriate resources to find peer-reviewed research papers.