Stem cells and immortality

In 1951, Henryette Lax received 2 tissue samples for a biopsy study at the Johns Hopkins Hospital( USA).One sample was taken from the tumor, the other from a neighboring section of healthy tissue. By the results of the analysis, a diagnosis was made: cervical cancer, a common, at first glance, situation. But what began after, in general, no one expected!

Staff at John Guy's laboratory, which conducted cell research, for a long time tried to develop an ideal nutrient medium in which human cells could multiply by fission and not die. John Guy developed a technique for their cultivation, which provided a constant movement of the nutrient medium, like blood flow, delivering nutrients and removing waste cells. Under these conditions, the pathological cells taken from Henrietta for analysis began to double in number every 24 hours. This was an incredible achievement: the human cells that reproduce outside the body were then obtained for the first time in history! The growth and multiplication of HeLa cells continues today!

And what were these cells for? What did they give to people all over the world?

At the end of 1951, the world was engulfed by an epidemic of poliomyelitis, the consequences of which suffered and US President F. Roosevelt. In February 1952, Jonas Salk of the University of Pittsburgh developed the first polio vaccine, but for its testing, cultured cells in huge quantities were needed. They became HeLa, thanks to the vaccine tested on them, in less than a year, the epidemic was stopped. The vitality of these cells made it possible to send them by airmail to other laboratories and even to other continents.

Over the years, HeLa cells have been tested by scientists from all over the world:

• with herpes, measles, chickenpox, encephalitis viruses, which made it possible to study the nature of viruses, develop vaccines against them, lay the foundations of
• virology with radioactive radiation and near-space conditions, thanks to thisthe means of protection in space and radiation

have been developed. The influence of steroids, hormones, vitamins, and drug chemotherapy on humans has been studied;cells infected with tuberculosis, salmonellosis, bacteria that cause vaginitis.

Oncology institutes on HeLa cells tested over 30,000 chemicals and extracts, resulting in widely used and effective chemotherapy drugs, including vincristine and taxol.

Developed the technology of freezing and storage of human cells

HeLa cells became the first cloned human cells, thanks to them, scientists were able to learn how to isolate embryonic stem cells, to clone whole animals, to make artificial insemination( in vitro)

The nature of Down syndrome, Klinefelter, Shereshevsky-Turner, the blocking of the transmission of chromosomal diseases by the inheritance of

has been developed. Research continues, it is possible that they will make it even more sensationalnye opening!

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