For 70 years, the cells of Henrietta Lacks (known as the HeLa cell line) have been used without her consent. HeLa cells are special because they can divide indefinitely. They are the first human cells able to grow outside a body for more than 36 hours. The infographic below highlights just some of the many medical breakthroughs achieved through the HeLa cell line. "The Mother of Modern Medicine," is inspired by Kadir Nelson’s portrait of the same title.
Henrietta Lacks: The Black Woman Who Is The Mother Of Modern Medicine
When Henrietta Lacks died in 1951, cells were taken from her body without her or her family's consent. For 70 years, those cells have pushed medicine forward.
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Aprox. 5 mins in article
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