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Extraction
This was the year that the Hela cells were first extracted by Dr. Gay. These cells are called the immortal cells because they reproduce at a rate that is faster than they die. Therefore, making them immortal. This had a major impact on the scientific community by them being used to conduct numerous different kinds of research. -
Polio Vaccine
In this year the cultured Hela cells were used to create the first successful polio vaccine. This is important for science because the cells are immortal and there are an abundance of them they can be used to make many of these vaccines. -
First Cells to be shipped
This was the first time that Hela cells were succesfully shipped via postal mail. This is a major milestone because it showed the beginning of the ability for these cells to be utilized anywhere in the world. -
First cell production factory
This is an important milestone for science because the cells are able to be mass produced, which allows for even more research and experiments to be conducted with them. -
Freezing of the cells
A group of scientists were able to find a way to freeze the hela cells. This is important because they were able to freeze them without harming them or changing them in any way. -
Discovery
During an experiment with the Hela cells, there was a discovery that normal human cells have 46 chormosomes in them. This was a accidental discovery through testing the Hela cells. -
Southam experiment
In this year Southam began to inject Hela cells into cancer patients to see if the Hela cell's cancer would grow. This was completely unconsentual by the patients. -
Russian space testing
Russia's space programs sent Hela cells into space. The scientists did not know what effect it would have. It ended up making the cells stronger and they would divide more quickly with every trip. -
Mouse hybrids
Scientists Harris and Watkins fused Hela cells with mouse cells and created hybrids. They had equal amounts of DNA between the mouse and Henrietta. This helped them study what genes do. -
HeLa Bomb
Stanley Gartler discovers that a large portion of HeLa cells are contaminated, not only that but they are able to float through the air and contaminate others. Through simple things like unwashed hands. Spreading to other cultures and if one cell came in contact with another culture it would take it over. -
Mislabeled
Jones and his collegues posted a tribute to Dr. Gey and in it they said that they had misinterpretted Henrietta's cancer. That her cancer originated from her glandular tissue, not her epithelial tissue. -
Stopping the spread
Scientists gathered and discussed how to stop the spread of HeLa cells, and they discerned that the best way to do so would be to find the genes that were most similar to them to start. This would be finding her immediate family members. -
HPV-18
A German virologist discoverd that HPV-18 and HPV-16 were the cause for Henriettas cancer. Which is the cause for her HeLa cells to be created. -
HIV
A group of researchers infected the cells with HIV which helped them learn what the requirments of a cell to gain HIV were. Along with this it helped them gain a better understanding of the virus and a hope to stop it. -
Telomerase
A Yale scientist discovered an enzyme called telomerase that helped explain why the Hela cells were immortal. Because this enzyme allowed cells to regenerate infinitely.