HeLa

Throughout recent history, humans have been told that they are given basic human rights. But do those rights really exist? In the novel The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks written by Rebecca Skloot, the main topics are consent to treatment and privacy. The government and people of higher power feel they are capable of revoking one’s rights, and this novel displays a perfect example of that. Social justice issues have been present in history for a very long time, and failure to provide someone…

both sides of an argument, while never actually stating her side on the subject. An example of this can be seen when Skloot exposes a virologist Chester Southam and his study where he would not tell patients he was injecting them with the cancerous HeLa cells. “The deception was for his benefit – he was withholding information because patients might have refused to participate in his study if they’d known what he was injecting,” (Skloot 130). In cases like this Skloot doesn’t offer her opinion…

Herietta’s story by taking readers along with her in her reporting journey. I believe Skloot respects the power of emotion and the need to humanize all characters and scenes throughout the story to gain a better understanding of the ethical issue behind HeLa cells. Just as Skloot highlights many times throughout the story not only in relation to Henrietta but other patient as well, clinicians may often forget the person behind sampling and lab work. Therefore, if the reader is able to see the…

of modern medicine? Usually unheard of. But not in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skoot. This is an emotionally charged historical account regarding the origin of one of the most famous and important tools in modern medicine. The HeLa Cells, taken from Mrs. Henrietta Lacks in the early 1950’s without her consent, have lead to researchers finding a multitude of new treatments and making a myriad of new discoveries and even mass farming and distribution cells since then. But not…

Results 14 – 3 -3 sigma gene produces 4N cell having an irregular shape 14 – 3 – 3 sigma gene was overexpressed to determine its function in tumor cells. The amount of living cells for G was 81% while for the S sample, 73% was measured. This unexpected minor difference may be due the stress caused while handling the sample e.g. the incubator was opened several times causing fluctuation in temperature, essential gases (e.g. oxygen) and the cells were taken out of the incubator for…

The average human body is worth about one million dollars when it is donated for scientific use (Hamilton). With this being said, there is no doubt that people feel entitled to being paid for contributing to mankind, especially when what is being given is part of their body. In Rebecca Skloot’s book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, there is a great example that regards receiving compensation. Henrietta’s relatives believe they are deserving of some money made from the research done with…

without their knowledge. “In February 1954, Southam loaded a syringe with saline solution mixed with HeLa. He slid the needle into the forearm of a woman who’d recently been hospitalized for Leukemia, then pushed the plunger injecting about five million of Henrietta’s cells into her arm. Using a second needle, Southam tattooed a tiny speck of India ink next to the small bump that formed at the HeLa injection site. That way, he’d know where to look when he reexamined the woman days, weeks, and…

sequences in cervical carcinoma cells” was to analyze the cell lines HeLa, C4-1, and 756, for the structural organization and transcription of the HPV 18 genome. The methods that were used in this investigation was to first isolate RNA and subject it to Northern blot hybridization, with HPV 18 DNA as the probe. The result of the experiment was that the HPV 18 genome was present in a majority, 756, of the cells. In the researchers’ HeLa and C4-1 cells, a 2-3 kilobase segment of HPV 18 specific…

considered standards to other wealthy people around them. Henrietta Lacks, better known for her contribution to science with her HeLa cells, faced many injustices that ended up with her unaware donation. While receiving care at the only hospital in the area that would treat black patients, the doctors took cells from Henrietta and began to experiment on them. The cells, coined HeLa, became a huge medical breakthrough being the first immortalized cell line. The scientists took advantage of her…

degrading occupations they were given, and the attitude of people around them, all contributed to what generally became a ruinous lifestyle. The book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, tells the family history behind the famous HeLa cells and follows the mistreatment of Henrietta and her family over the years. Many blacks were affected detrimentally by the obvious difference in status throughout the nation, and rather than united, it was divided they stood. On January 29,…