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George Gey successfully made the first immortal human cells from Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells.
They were named HeLa from the first two initials of Henrietta’s first name and last name. Without this event, none of the following events would be possible. HeLa cells were used in this situation by being created. -
HeLa cells are the first living cells to successfully be shipped through postal mail.
This is a breakthrough because it allows for the easy transportation of cells. With that, HeLa cells can be moved all over the globe without a hassle. -
The Tuskegee Institute opens the “HeLa factory,” where they supply factories and labs with HeLa cells.
They were operating as a nonprofit, but within a few years another company would sell HeLa for profit. HeLa cells were being distributed, eventually for income, without the family knowing. It would be 21 years later that the family finds out about HeLa cells. This helps prove how unethical it was to take Henrietta’s cells without her or her family knowing. -
HeLa cells were used to develop a vaccine for polio.
The world was facing its biggest polio outbreak at the end of 1951. The only way for a vaccine to be sent out was to test it on a large scale to prove that it was safe/ effective. The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis created a plan to execute the needed strategies. However, it would cost millions of dollars. The NFIP then turned to Gey for their help. It became noted that HeLa was more susceptible to poliovirus. That just so happened to be what they were looking for. -
HeLa became the first ever cloned cells.
The discovery of making cloned HeLa led to advances in the cell cloning division. -
Chester Southam started conducting experiments without his patients’ consent.
The experiments were to see whether or not HeLa cells caused cancer. HeLa cells were unknowingly used on patients. They were being experimented on without consent. -
Mouse cells and HeLa cells are fused together to create the first animal-human hybrid cells.
This was a breakthrough to show that animal cells and human cells could hybrid together. HeLa’s role in this was that they were the human cells used for testing. -
The “HeLa Bomb” was dropped by Stanley Gartler.
The “HeLa Bomb” was an idea that HeLa cells were contaminated by a rare genetic marker G6PD-A. It is found almost exclusively in African Americans, which Henrietta was. Of course, this was a shock to everyone and they began testing their labs. Years later, Leigh Van Valen commented on the idea that HeLa cells have evolved so much that they are no longer genetically identical to Henrietta. By all means, this idea was immediately thrown out because DNA testing would prove otherwise. -
Henrietta’s family learns of her living cells for the first time.
The Lacks family just learning of Henrietta's cells actually aided in different court cases. They were all living in poverty, and were in desperate need of money. HeLa cells were making millions at this point. The Lacks’ believed that they should be earning a profit off of Henrietta’s cells because she was their mother and wife. John Moore dealt with a similar issue and took it to court. John Moore’s battle went on for years. Eventually, people became more aware of ethical reasoning.