Scientists and researchers concede that medical research depends significantly on human cells developed in the laboratory, in order to evaluate the functionalities of such cells, and test numerous theories concerning the causes and treatments of diseases. The cell lines needed for such experiments must be immortal, which implies that they should show signs of indefinite growth, split into a number of batches for use by numerous scientists, and frozen for long durations of time. In 1951, medicine received a significant boost derived from the discovery of the first immortal cell, which was discovered using a sample tissue acquired from a woman suffering from cervical cancer. The immortal cells were later renamed HeLa cells, which have since become an essential tool in medical research.
