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Some of these events do not have dates but were given dates so that they could remain in order
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Cells Were Taken
Dr. Lawrence Wilson Jr. took samples of both cancerous and healthy cervical from Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge. -
Immortal Cells
Dr. George Gey put the cancerous cells in culture and they continued to divide and create new cells, making them immortal. -
Cells Sent Through the Mail
HeLa cells became the first cells to travel through mail. At first it was sent in culture on an aircraft carrier but they died easily. The cells then began to be frozen which "paused" the cells from reproducing and protected them from the dangers of traveling. Freezing the cells also resulted in more cells surviving the journey. -
HeLa Factory
Cells are created by the trillions in factories. -
Polio Vaccine
The factory produced HeLa cells were used to concoct a vaccine for polio which affected thousands during the time including FDR. -
Used to Develop More Vaccines
HeLa cells were infected with many types of infections and diseases, such as herpes and maps, and then treated with different vaccines to see if they would work. -
Virology is Created
A new field in science is created to study viruses and diseases on cells, and attempt to cure them. -
46 Chromosomes
HeLa cells were accidentally dyed with hematoxylin and made their chromosomes visible. It was then discovered that there were 46 chromosomes, not 48. -
Cloning
One HeLa cell was isolated from the rest, and began dividing to make exact copies of the original cell. This began the idea of gene therapy, and cloning animals and potentially people. -
People Injected with HeLa Cells
Multiple patients of Chester Southam were injected with saline solution and HeLa cells. Where the solution was injected, small tumors began growing. Some patients' went away by themselves, others had to be removes, and some kept returning. -
Ohio State Penitentiary Patients
Inmates at Ohio State Penitentiary were injected with he same solution, and grew tumors as well. However, all tumors wen away on their own. -
Space
the Russian Space program put HeLa cells into orbit to see how cells react when cells go past the ozone layer. The cells multiplied faster. -
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Healthy Cells Being Infected
Healthy cells growing in culture and being used for skin grafts were becoming cancerous. Lewis Coriell believed it to be from HeLa cells carried through the air. -
Human-Animal Hybrids
HeLa cells were combined with mouse cells to create a human-animal hybrid. -
HeLa Bomb
Stanley Gartner believes that HeLa cells could have caused genetic deformities in new generations. -
Radiation
HeLa cells were used to see how cells reacted to radiation. -
Monkeypox
HeLa cells are used to create a vaccine to treat monkeypox. -
Salmonella
HeLa cells were exposed to salmonella to see how it affected human cells. -
HPV
HeLa cells were used to show how HPV linked cervical and other cancers. HeLa was infected with HPV to observe the effects. -
Telomerase
It was discovered that HeLa cells have telomerase which causes their telomeres to continue growing. It is unique because most cell's telomeres distinguish over time and disappear, but HeLa cells did not. -
HIV
Hell cells were injected with oliogoadenylate synthase hybrid gene that protected the cells from HIV. -
Tuberculosis
HeLa cells were infected with tuberculosis and scientists created and tested a cure for tuberculosis.