What are we made of? This is a question that plagued humanity for centuries. However, with the discovery of cells, we are now better able to understand the human body and human life as a whole. With this paper I endeavor to explore what makes a normal cell and how abnormal cells affect health. By looking at “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”, one can gain a better understand the enormous importance of cell research.
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” is a historically based book that explores concepts of cellular growth, immortality, and the quest for better treatments and cures for cell abnormalities. This book chronicles how greatly scientific knowledge has advanced since the experiments on Ms. Lacks. Without the use of her DNA many great developments may not have happened.
Lacks was a African American woman who died of cervical cancer at a young age (Zielinski). A piece of her tumor was harvested in an attempt to study the growth of tissues in cultures (Zielinski). Even though it defied logic, Henrietta’s cells never perished making Henrietta’s cells were the first immortal human cells ever grown in culture. Leading us to believe that in cultures, cancer cells continue to divided, and thus are said to be "immortal." Eventually this discovery led to the development the polio vaccine.
Countless scientific innovations have also benefited from the use of her cells, including cloning, gene mapping and invitro fertilization (Zielinski). Sloot states,“Her contribution led to many scientific advances, drugs, and treatments. Medical researchers have relied on Henrietta Lack’s tissues for their work.
In the past decade there has been a continuing quest to expand of our knowledge of abnormal cells to determine medical treatment. Cytology, or the study of cells, is quickly becoming one of the most crucial professions in the human health industry ("Wise Geek"). Since the concept of the cell is still relatively new, until recently scientist did not realize that cells existed ("Wise Geek"). With the acknowledgement of cells, Cytology became a way to describe and identify cells, and also to diagnose certain medical diseases. We now understand the chemical makeup of the body much better thanks for her contribution to science.
Works Cited:
Skloot, R. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks . Broadway, 2011. Print.
Skloot, R. "Tracing the Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks." NPR Books. N.p., 18 03 2011. Web. 26 Apr 2012.
, ed. "What is Cytology?." Wise Geek. N.p., 2012. Web. 26 Apr 2012.
Zielinski, S. "Henrietta Lacks’ ‘Immortal’ Cells ." Smithsonian.Com. N.p., 22 01 2010. Web. 26 Apr 2012.
