The immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks - Robin Bulleri

View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/the-immorta...
Imagine something small enough to float on a particle of dust that holds the keys to understanding cancer, virology, and genetics. Luckily for us, such a thing exists in the form of trillions upon trillions of human, lab-grown cells called HeLa. But where did we get these cells? Robin Bulleri tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a woman whose DNA led to countless cures, patents, and discoveries.
Lesson by Robin Bulleri, animation by Brandon Denmark.

[@dogol284]

The Good Thing: we have achieved immortality The Bad Thing: it’s just cancer

[@kathytrancan]

the struggles of immortality is real 😩😂

[@QuackZack]

What if you had the choice to be immortal but you had to be entirely cancer 😶

[@oppressormk2op547]

@@QuackZack deadpool headass

[@deannamccrimmon7805]

eh she’s not really immortal herself, just her cells are and they barely have any of her DNA in them.

[@redhood9896]

That's how Deadpool works, actually. 😂😂

[@bobisnotaperson]

Technically, Henrietta Lacks is still alive, as purple cancer lumps. I salute her.

[@Wasp609]

which i find kinda creepy when you stop and think about it.

[@v6790]

@@Wasp609 did you just say that you are creepy

[@Wasp609]

@@v6790 lol i forgot to put the s.

[@catyoga3691]

Wait, so if we give this cell to a person that mean that person will still alive after he/she dead?

[@samwrihiro]

And people are still infecting her to see if she will die again

[@cyanfireall7710]

The abuse the was subjected to by John Hopkins wasn't even covered in this video. They never treated her like a patient and were never transparent about what they were doing. The "treatments" that they gave her ended up leaving her infertile

[@Crunk_Cat]

welcome to chemo baby

[@anonyme4881]

Welcome to 1951 Ethic medecine started in 1973

[@unepintade]

I mean yes, you are infertile when you’re dead

[@suclox12yearsago56]

Mate there was not a chance in the world that she would survive this super cancer what are you on about

[@kevincanavan2440]

@@suclox12yearsago56 all patients, regardless of their prognosis, are owed ethical, honest treatment. Hopkins treated her as an experiment rather than a human being who was is pain, and were more concerned with studying her than offering palliative care that would have allowed her to better tolerate her final days. The cells harvested from her are a major boon to medicine, but they weren’t taken with informed consent from her or her family.

[@kyliejay786]

Got to learn about her in school since I live in Baltimore. It's sad science classes don't teach much about her. Without her, we wouldn't have so many medical advances. Her family deserves compensation.

[@humaux8457]

At the very least some recognition.

[@theonethathungers5552]

Why do they deserve compensation? It always seemed weird how the family would receive compensation for the suffering of a member after they passed. Maybe funeral expenses as they identified the improbability of curing her and focused on the more likely benefits she could bring to science, therefore robbing her of tiny chance to get better, but otherwise, I don’t see the point, or where they deserve it at all. At best it’s minor compensation for mental stress and funeral expenses. Plus, science classes won’t teach something like this because it’s relatively irrelevant to many curriculums and it’s a complex topic to cover. You can’t plop down something like this and say literally nothing about it. It would have to be incorporated into a unit, and the immortal tumour doesn’t have relevance in most science class that aren’t post secondary. It’s not sad that classes cannot cover every interesting or noteworthy thing, it’s actually pretty good. Because what’s interesting or noteworthy is subjective and could be less useful than, say, understanding how vaccines work.

[@timmyturnner7623]

@@theonethathungers5552 well medical corporations make billions in cash off of her cells each year which she didn’t even consent too. Her family being compensated is the least they could have done.

[@notme8652]

I mean it's pretty simple "Henrietta Lacks She died to lung cancer, miraculously her cells kept regenerating"

[@emilysmith2965]

Didn’t even watch the video well enough to remember it was cervical cancer… it IS pretty simple there, bud, and you still failed. We owe a lot to the Lacks family. Researchers stole her cells and profited from them. That’s all the justification you need for massive compensation.

[@DiegOoO235]

I feel bad for Henrietta, she had the most insane cancer, there was no way she was going to be cured from having that. But, her misfortune is our fortune I guess, we live in a better world thanks to her

[@Blueninja-xt4ci]

May her soul rest in peace.

[@clarissamiller1525]

Not much fortune as I’m sure her family got no sort of recognition or compensation since they didn’t even know they were using it. Super sad. But one can only hope to contribute so much to humanity after death.

[@ltkmwarthunder]

1 person's death could save millions of lives :)

[@Fidder492]

@@clarissamiller1525 i don't think he was referring to her family's fortune

[@clarissamiller1525]

@@Fidder492 ah yes. I reread the original comment now. Thanks. Likely replied it while half asleep haha.

[@shauryabasu6703]

HeLa cells are immortal, but Hela is a goddess of death. Huh.

[@user-kb3bm9zu1w]

HEnrietta LAcks = Hela, they're not talking about the goddess

[@shauryabasu6703]

@@user-kb3bm9zu1w YOU DON'T SAY

[@user-kb3bm9zu1w]

@@shauryabasu6703 XD

[@poop1064]

Bunnyz Entertainment r/whooosh

[@eulaadastraea2160]

Bunnyz Entertainment - r/whoooooooooooosh

[@8E_3T]

I remember reading about Henrietta and her cells in college. It was so amazing. It was also kinda terrible to read about her cells being used for such amazing science without Henrietta ever consenting to her cells being used this way or her family ever being compensated. Can't remember if her family ever did get compensation, but I remember the book mentioning her family eventually going to court about it. It was nice to see this video mention the unethical history behind the science instead of just glossing it over as if Henrietta and her family never mattered.

[@nightwinddemon]

Sorry if this sounds dickish, but sometimes the greater good of many, scratch that, the whole humankind, trumps the selfish wants/need of an individual. If I'm the first immortal being on earth, sure I would run to avoid capture because I'm selfish, but I would understand why people chasing me and try to capture me, I wouldn't blame them. But in this case she's already dead, cancer killed her. Arguing for the consent of cells of a dead human being and demanding payment or royalty is selfish at best, and gold digging at worst.

[@MiguelAngel-fw4sk]

@@nightwinddemon Totally agree, that's basically putting your own wallet before those millions of lives.

[@erboch7124]

@@nightwinddemon It's moreso acknowledgement than compensation, they kinda just swept everything that happened with her under the rug

[@nightwinddemon]

@@erboch7124 they did hide what they was doing with her cells at the beginning and even experimented on her children, which is very bad I have to admit, but after the whole thing came to light, the name of Henrietta Lacks was everywhere, it was impossible to not hear about her cell line when you study anything biology in college. Acknowledgement: checked. They did wrong her children though, one time compensation for that, sure, but that's it imo.

[@erboch7124]

@@nightwinddemon Yeah but its not a household name, that should be like a high school biology thing and not a college biology thing.

[@benthomason3307]

Glad someone finally explained the "immortal cancers" properly to me. Until now I thought that scientists all over the world were infinitely growing _unkillable_ blobs of cancer.

[@dotsubmcdoodle2959]

Look up the one around dogs! There's this one dog that's technically been alive through his cancer cells for >10,000 years!

[@kulled]

@@dotsubmcdoodle2959 did the 8 people that liked your comment just like it because it sounded like an interesting concept? you will get no relevant results from "one around dog(s)". these people liked a nonsense comment before even seeing if it was true or not lmfao

[@theanagramman1678]

​@KULLED she's talking about cancerous dog cells. In English they teach about understood subjects. There is enough on the one around dogs that's why 8 people liked her comment

[@s0d4c4n]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_transmissible_venereal_tumor

[@s0d4c4n]

CVTV is a transmissible pathogen whose DNA is descended from a single individual canine about 11k years ago.

[@adelicioustaco412]

If used incorrectly, the earth will turn purple.

[@sphinx1659]

A Regular Potato LMAO

[@Niom_Music]

A Regular Potato Roflpops

[@morales8697]

Nothing Can Stop The Smoozenami Smoozepocalypse, all praise Lord Smozee or be consumed on his return!

[@AaronDuck]

A Regular Potato... with a bikini?!

[@mhizawardyhahalim1127]

Like this 2:35?

[@bigfootwithinternetaccess2925]

Just wait until the whole universe is a massive purple blob...

[@sergiontothetop]

Lol yes

[@domagojdurdov4863]

oh yeah yeah

[@allencompassingevil]

The Flood.

[@antrakulkarni]

2:35.

[@maven_xxvii]

so, grimace

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

If there's an afterlife I hope she is happy in the knowledge that she has saved thousands, if not million, of lives

[@metal9076]

You can't say that, she's immortal

[@diakounknown1225]

@@metal9076 huh

[@lanateam4523]

@@diakounknown1225 she technically is still alive

[@diakounknown1225]

@@lanateam4523 huh

[@MammalianCreature]

@@diakounknown1225 cells innit

[@moxieann8672]

I actually go to a school named after her! What really sucks is that her family wasn’t just middle class-they were in poverty. Henriettas kids couldn’t even afford healthcare, but certain companys we’re making trillons of dollars.the doctors also A) never told her she would be infertial after the radiation treatment B) continually sent her back home even though she was in horrible pain C) never told her family she was dying-they all thought the doctors were still trying to cure her. I suggest to read “the immortal life of Henrietta lacks” by Rebecca skloot

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

She was going to be infertile anyway, I think, at that time.

[@bloodaid]

The word "Hela" in Swedish means "to heal". What a coincidence. Edit 5 years later: Elon Musk = Elon = El On = Electricity On 🤯

[@jocelynsun4842]

Well darn-diggity dang

[@meocean5499]

well HeLa is actually the abreviation to Herietha Lacks. and she was a black Lady.

[@amaka637]

+LongJohn Vllasaliu Damn dude o_o Phenomenal.

[@corbbing]

Ironically, so does läka.

[@sealizabrown7228]

Huh! Interesting.

[@willemvandebeek]

Thank you, Henrietta Lacks!

[@Ytremz]

+Willem van de Beek Enough with the thank you's, more with the compensation of the family whose cells facilitated this research.

[@Ytremz]

Aquamanic4 Every cent.

[@Ytremz]

Aquamanic4 And the scientists/capitalist pharmaceutical dogs who stole her cells would not have made a cent without her cells.

[@Ytremz]

Sergio Sanchez I think by experimentation you meant exploitation.

[@Ytremz]

Aquamanic4 Taking her cells and using them for commercial purposes without her consent or compensation is theft. This killed her, and her family have nothing to show for it.

[@eddvcr598]

3:22 I love the effect of how instead of skeleton, you see the inner parts of a human cell. Bravo, people who worked on this animation!

[@buhgingo2933]

Prolly cus it’s not a human body

[@meepbeep2464]

I love it when people gives attention even the smallest of details

[@MrStreaty122]

Here’s a question, if her cells are “immortal” meaning they’ve been dividing for 70 years straight with no end in sight, do we know for sure that the dna of those cells hasn’t changed since ‘51? I mean, a serious issue with cell division that this video points out is that eventually errors creep into the code, so are HeLa cells immune codon errors as well? If that’s the case, my next question would be “is it because HeLa cells have so many sets of chromosomes, that they can self correct after each division?”

[@focusfailing2831]

I mean 70 years, thats enough time that technically they aren't even her cells anymore...

[@amishmittal4536]

I think they can produce their own chromosomes

[@michealcrossan9302]

I think they stated somewhere that they were always exact copies or something.

[@user-ij3bx6vr5w]

They've definitely mutated, the video even states hela cells have around 80 chromosomes.

[@squidward_tenpoles112]

I think it not even human cell anymore, it's have similiar dna of human but different species, it's another being maybe if the cell can be in human form and have consciousness we will have some thing like purple thanos? 😂

[@kaioto5699]

Scientist: Hey, who took the HeLa samples from the lab fridge? Me feasting on some jelly:

[@kaioto5699]

@@redstrider6814 thank you, you can have mine

[@Whoops.Allgone]

@@kaioto5699 why is this wholesome

[@Whoops.Allgone]

@@moistcriticalstan876 Ok

[@davengeii5903]

Congrats ur immortal now

[@crush3crush699]

@@davengeii5903 ok where i can deez cells

[@UziasLara]

I like how they gave credit to the patient.

[@EngForArabs]

yea it's stupid

[@esmeedonders288]

Adam i don't agree. her body (she) is technically the one who invented this line of cells

[@rafamilk1]

it is not like she gave the cells on pupose. it is stupid to give credits to her.

[@esmeedonders288]

But she's still the one who made them. There are a lot of things invented/discovered by accident (not that i can name some now)

[@rafamilk1]

if a give you a lemon then you make a lemonade, the best in the entire world you think is right to have credit from the lemonade ?

[@rosmimathew8335]

If you haven't I highly recommend reading 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' it's an amazing book talking about her family life, how scientists discovered the cells, and what her children have to say about her cells

[@jahnavee_palsodkar]

Yes, that book is amazing. Highly recommend it to everyone who's watched this video

[@spunkycat6144]

I am reading it right now. It needs to be a movie.

[@sitcomsTV]

Did any of her kids had cancer?

[@Double0hTater]

I actually knew of this, if i’m not mistaken (they may go over this in the video) but she specifically stated she did not want her lab samples to be used past her death, i dont think she even wanted them to be studies to begin with. But Gey was too infatuated with the potential scientific discoveries, as right as he may be, Lacks specifically said she didnt want her cells to be used

[@CedarHunt]

Good thing nobody listened to her then. I can't imagine the amount of human suffering that boneheaded move would have brought into the world.

[@Meatbrawl]

​@@CedarHunt Ignoring peoples rights always serves in the reduction of human suffering.... But hey there's enough profit and a good PR spin on this, so let's all be idiots who support people doing whatever they want to whomever they want so long as they get results.

[@notme8652]

@@Meatbrawl do you drive an electric car?

[@javierflores09]

@@Meatbrawl to be fair, this was in an era where you had the option to be unethical about it. Nowadays you would never go against a patient wishes no matter how much it would be of an advancement for us as society

[@aleksanderjohansen2008]

Well.. There are times when you get scientific oppertunities that are just too important to not pursue. Yes, It's important to respect human rights and so on, but what if you have the potential cure for cancer right in front of you? Are you seriously just gonna give that up because some dude didn't want you to take a cell sample?

[@therealbenjamin789]

Let's talk about how her family never got any kind of settlement

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Boys mutilated genitals are cultured for stem cells to produce collagen for vain women's cosmetics, and they don't receive any compensation either.

[@teehee4096]

Gregory Malchuk if you’re referring to circumcision, foreskins are not used for cosmetics but rather as sources of replacement skin for burn patients.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

@@teehee4096 It's used in both and its even more unethical. Organ farming and harvesting and profiteering need to get life imprisonment.

[@MT-iv5nc]

Why? They don't own cancer and they didn't do anything to deserve the money.

[@teehee4096]

M T It’s made of her cells with her DNA, they do deserve settlement

[@Nthryy]

What if Hella’s cell are trying to reconstruct themselves to re make Hella

[@eyesofwater123]

That would be terrifying.

[@samanthaclaremejia7975]

Hope so

[@josephstephan2077]

I guess that when she was alive they (hela-cells) had been trying to do the opposite thing.

[@okboomer5274]

That would be one "hella" of a surprise See what I did there?....

[@lourdthebluefoxie]

@@okboomer5274 ok zoomer

[@GoldenTheme443]

She’s the definition of a God Send. She’s the reason we have so much. Her existence brought us so much.

[@mashasmelkova8870]

The funny thing is, my class and I are reading about her right now, so this will be very useful to have!

[@AbhilashNoxBaruahnx1ee7]

Well that was 4 and a half minutes of very very intriguing information.

[@foubrac7173]

Abhilash `Nox` Baruah If you want more than that you should read “The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks”

[@taakotuesdays]

Fred Keys lol I have to read that for class this year

[@sm1lt3]

You mean 4 minutes and 26.2 seconds ?

[@Ishumishupdates]

@@sm1lt3 round the numbers

[@MinecraftCutiepie]

How come we don't learn about Henrietta Lacks in school. Her mutated cells still exist today, that's incredible!

[@naryosh_]

They don't teach it in school because nobody likes to talk about the societal contributions of black people other than the most popular ones.

[@naryosh_]

I hate that they don't.

[@naryosh_]

BlueBerryKing You'd be surprised

[@Vk-jw2hl]

BlueBerryKing because i don't give a shit and how is this gonna help me in life ME NOT Another PERSON THAT A DONT EVEN FUCKING KNOW school is already shit why do u need to make it more shitty

[@MinecraftCutiepie]

vice king If you don't pay attention to school anyway, why do you care? What difference does it make?

[@juliennejusi8948]

My biology teacher discussed this and I remember the night of that day, before going to sleep, I thanked Henrietta Lacks. 💖

[@mikoi7472]

No, you should thank the researchers who actually were able to utilize them. Not someone who just had cancer and was an unlikely find.

[@farleydbear]

hug the busdriver

[@atomic_tubetop]

Her book is mad depressing. I read it in middle school and it is still with me to this day

[@yanli8436]

I actually read the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and there's alot of info they aren't telling you here

[@arahan-mk2zy]

@@Eee12388 i think what you said is already in the video, not just elaborated but we get the thought

[@spooky2526]

Well the point of these videos is to make them simple and short so they can reach people that generally wouldn't be interested In this stuff so it makes sense that it misses some specific details or complex info

[@ritav793]

I found it odd how they thank her when she was not even asked. Yea thanks for lettings us steal your cells!

[@fartiscle]

@@ritav793 But is it worth saving millions of lives? And plus, it was a tumor so it had to be taken out of her body right?

[@glassesb5199]

Agree Yan. I have not read the book but am aware of the ethics issues towards Henrietta and the manner in which the cells were harvested. Patients these days, beware of false imprisonment

[@kap5571]

How have I never been taught this in my biology classes?

[@ariagomezr]

@Jesse Cimino samee

[@veryconfused9768]

I wasn't taught either

[@ItsssElsa]

Because this microbiology not biology 😂

[@thaumatomane]

@@ItsssElsa I learnt about microbiology in biology class at least since grade 11, and maybe earlier.

[@-Subtle-]

How have you not paid attention in biology class while ignoring your English teacher's crossover reading assignment of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. You're a terrible student.

[@amandafails7267]

She was a gift and still is

[@thenerdbeast7375]

I feel this video could have had more emphasis on how they did all this without Hentrietta's permission and her family didn't know about it for years. While I salute her contribution to science, it is a good example of how the rights of individuals, especially poc, have traditionally been violated in the pursuit of research.

[@theboxygenie]

Half the video is literally about that.

[@Matt-pp6qp]

@@theboxygenie not really, they more talked about the significance of the cells themselves.

[@resumepeacetalks600]

Wait till you hear about how advances in gynecologic surgery were due to experiments on slaves.

[@shiftyclouds9591]

This video is talking about Henrietta's cells not Henrietta. If you want things about rights and sensitive topics like that you can find another video.

[@koharumi1]

Well she is dead so might be a bit hard...

[@harveychallinor367]

thats hela cool

[@jintaker113]

Harvey Challinor get out.

[@praveensharma9893]

Daisy Slusher lol no

[@shadowling77777]

Imma kms cuz of this comment

[@harveychallinor367]

its a pun... HeLa

[@montyscott7589]

Genius

[@chrisamon9645]

This sounds like the start to some science fiction movie where the HeLa cells just keep dividing and growing until they're like some super blob monster covering the world.

[@nilak.s617]

Finally someone who writes HeLa properly

[@nggaknormal]

Naah, not enough nutrients and oxygen

[@joaquinfogel7874]

Gives of similar vibes to the yoghurt episode of love death robots, but darker

[@frankgleeson9744]

If you could control the form that they are dividing into though, to a normally operating and look... cell types, organs then whole body

[@JetFalcon710]

Kinda reminds me of the Gray Goo apocalypse scenario

[@AntonioMooreworldleaderSerious]

Thank you Henrietta lacks. You don't lack anything

[@c.melvin7716]

when i was in 5th grade i met her grandson when he came to fix our school computers. it was a cool experience because you never think something like that could be experienced in a baltimore public school. that was abt 6 years ago but definitely was something memorable. (edit: great grandson i’m pretty sure*)

[@lordpuggles1111]

When you realise Henrietta is technically still alive (No, i do not actually believe she is still alive)

[@baguetteetcheese4665]

@@spiritofMongan Keep in mind its still her cells so technikly the OP is right

[@mr.fishstick_yt9955]

@@baguetteetcheese4665 well it’s her mutated cells so techinically no

[@Dact3]

@@mr.fishstick_yt9955 "well it's her..." you're saying what you're trying not to

[@mr.fishstick_yt9955]

@@Dact3 imagine those movies where they make like an identical twin of yourself but the personality is totally different. This is basically when Henrietta lacks cells and her cancer cells are

[@jonnietaylor4492]

Henrietta Lacks's cells helped make Jonathan Salk famous when he used her çells to make the polio vaccine in 1953 amazing since Henrietta Lacks only died in 1951. A very skilled lab technician came back from a break and found Mrs Lacks cells had multiplied. After they found Mrs Lacks cells multiplied it seemed at will they have been used many times for medical treatments for humans. Much money has been made from Mrs Lacks cells. How ever her family and MRS Lacks is dead. No money was received by Leak family nor did they know of the research using her cells. Or that vaccines and cloning of cells was being done. So I am wondering if Mrs Lacks family has received any money so they can live above the poverty line and benefit from the funds being made from her immortall cells. Would someone write in case there has been any changes for the Leaks family. Or if Mrs Lewis cells were used to make THE ÇOVID19 VACCINE rather interesting science. Looking forward to comments.

[@SupaL33tKillar]

Well the one thing she wasn't Lacking was clearly cancer cells.

[@molly.dog8brooke792]

SupaL33tKillar get out... just get out

[@ellahusk3689]

Get out

[@YuriDokiDoki]

GET OUT! NOW! MONIKA HAS ALREADY BANNED YOU FROM THE CLUB

[@williekuong3600]

Respect!

[@kiwithedepressedbean9632]

Good one bro

[@lucahoffmann9029]

We used HeLa cells during animal cellbiology class in university (bsc biology) by now it is kind of a standard cell line to work with. We used them for cellmigration Experiments That are meant to resemble wound healing processes. Cheers to her for advancing our knowledge by such a magnitude

[@lenabanx6221]

I really enjoyed the art in this video. The different viruses being represented as some abstract characters felt like a cool art project or exhibit and now I want more

[@karlhans6678]

You want more viruses?

[@kapitanhatdog7092]

@@karlhans6678 I think she does and that is quite terrifying.

[@AbrahamAnimations]

This is sorta creepy too....

[@TheProrokpl]

+Abraham Animations like a scypt for horror movie.

[@loriefranceschi2590]

+Anthony Ege Kopri If we survive WWIII, WWIV will be fought with sticks and stones

[@KikomochiMendoza]

+TheProrokpl Straight outa sci-fi Horror Thriller Movie, Kinda like 28-weeks later

[@Andy-js5jy]

+Abraham Animations Hela is cancer immortal because you can't beat Hela because 82 specie of Hela who surviver like space, water, oil, hot, ecc... Hela is worth of that bear water (tardigrade). not just, 82 species of Hela kill you as you can't surviver like 1 year of horror.

[@loriefranceschi2590]

+Andrea Gnatta ?

[@TheManKelikir]

Henrietta: "I wish for immortality.." Genie : "your wish is my command.." Henrietta: "I have an itching feeling that I forgot to mention some important details.."

[@Adhil_parammel]

Under rated command

[@tiktok_content9505]

Have fun being a clump of purple goo forever.

[@Melonbanana]

Itching quite literally

[@leandrogoethals6599]

who's genie? the red haired girl from harry potter?

[@Melonbanana]

@@leandrogoethals6599 uhh a genie? Ever heard of Aladdin or literally any other mystical story lol

[@TheRealArmor]

I learned about HeLa cells in my 9th grade Biology class. Kickass tbh. Feel for the lady's family. They should literally just.. be given heaps of money as compensation because of the immortal descendent that has immeasurably changed medicine.

[@ilikefud7741]

Many may not believe this, but I am apart of the lacks family line, my name is Christian Nazario and my mother's maiden name is Dionna Lacks and I believe Henrietta Lacks would be my great aunt if I'm not mistaken, I found out about Henrietta Lacks when I was about 14 when my mother brought it up after I asked why we never get sick, and I looked into her myself later on and discovered a lot of things about myself and my great aunt. I actually do have HeLa cells in my body too and it's so strange how they work for me, anytime I get a specific illness surprisingly enough I never get it again or at least not for a very very long time. This is how I know have her cells and I'm glad I'm apart of something that has made this world progress in so many ways, but it is sad to say our family has never and probably will never get compensation for it 😔 that's just how the world works right now especially during a time where racism was very prominent.

[@anpanbbang9469]

''anytime I get a specific illness surprisingly enough I never get it again or at least not for a very very long time'' its called having an immune response system and white blood cells, you arent special

[@Ytremz]

*And yet, they won't pay the Lacks family one cent.*

[@VovoMark666]

+Ytremz They should pay for Henrietta's work for all these years? For Henrietta's cancer sample? I think they just need keep working and find new uses for it..

[@nashwa7039]

+Ytremz Her family can't even afford health insurance.

[@Ytremz]

Vovô Mark Simply put, yes. The Lacks family should be proportionately compensated, based upon all of the profits generated from any product/research that has been developed and commercialized, indirectly or directly as a result of using Henrietta's cells.

[@cwcorella]

+Ytremz Well, if she donated her body to science, it's perfectly legal. How would you feel if you had to pay an organ donor's family for the heart you receive? "So long as body parts are not removed illegally during an autopsy, the state has discretion over them and is not required to notify the families." kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4evdmeAa5mInLM

[@Ytremz]

umer salim A middle eastern individual like yourself using racist terminology is both ironic and comical.

[@Johnnyyoo1]

Doesn't that mean that she is still there.

[@scroogemcduckenjoyer]

and soon with her cell spread all over the world, global domination is at her palm!

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

Yeah, but she is just cancer, in the most literall way.

[@fairextl]

Johnny Yoo Not really. Her brain is gone, thus is she.

[@scroogemcduckenjoyer]

cell is alive you know, we (hypothethically) could revive her using her cells.

[@fantasyconnect]

Hanif Ong She would have the mental capacity of a newborn.

[@animagi6844]

read about this some years ago. imagine a part of you outliving you then literally getting around the globe and beyond

[@kolis_]

The animation, and this was just amazing and such a good explanation of just how powerful her cells were

[@babelle2904]

did anyone else think that the measles, mumps, HIV, and Ebola Hela cells design looked cute?

[@TheGoldenAnimations88]

+Natsuiro The HIV design looks very familiar to me...

[@wolfydawolf1296]

Ali Alwaily fuck you, they were kinda cute because whoever illustrated/animated this video has a cute drawing/animation style

[@SuperNuclearBoss]

Natsuiro me

[@fairextl]

Natsuiro The question is why though?

[@LuneLuan]

Natsuiro I wanna holler at Ebola. She 18??

[@PieALaMode]

Does that mean technically she's immortal? I mean her brain is gone but these cells, part of her, keep going...

[@NoDuurr]

Pie A La Mode yeah, technically she's still alive, just not aware of it.

[@espen990]

I'd say that she is only symbolically alive through the cells. It's like saying you are living in another body if you donate a kidney or blood. It's just a matter of belief I guess.

[@NoDuurr]

Espen Sales true. it's more of a philosophical topic than a scientific one.

[@espen990]

***** I wouldn't mind ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@nchlsky]

Z.M creepy

[@-EEE-]

I’m still fascinated by this every now and again over the past 4 years I come back to this video to refresh

[@JoaoVictor-dw2ci]

It's incredibly to know that a tiny sample of a human cell can bring so much knowledge and advancements to us !!!! I'm impressed, thanks HeLa !!!

[@jasondeng7677]

"why do we die of old age" "we would have cancer otherwise"

[@stefanomartinelli7344]

"why do Wales, that have so many Cell to replicate, not suffer from cancer?"

[@jasondeng7677]

@@stefanomartinelli7344 lol

[@stefanomartinelli7344]

@David Meyer Yes, that Is why I made the comment. It was a joke of some sort. Quick random question, whales have a diet Rich of fatty acids (=fat)?

[@monke6912]

@@stefanomartinelli7344 maybe planktons or crabs

[@maggiejetson7904]

This is actually the correct answer. Without the old dying before being a drain on the population there won't be enough resource to raise the healthy youth. Evolution has made a compromise.

[@orlawatson6916]

I'm currently procrastinating

[@zacgoodwin4056]

orla watson Isn't that the only reason to watch TedEd, to procrastinate while learning? 😂

[@averyzeiler9686]

lol this is actually my studying, we have an essay to write about the ethical complications of hela cells

[@EveryTimeV2]

Inflicting pain on others is my hobby.

[@connorgleeson9324]

orla watson ah, I see you are a man of culture as well

[@greenjd3700]

#metoo

[@akashchakraborty9779]

You are probably one of the most useful and superb channels out there.

[@koharumi1]

Reminds me of the dog cancer. Able to survive in other dogs. Despite the dog being long dead thousands of years ago.

[@boxertest]

Her family didn't get a dime, that is the biggest shame science has . Her cells saved the world but the scientist didn't care about her family. Thank you Queen Henrietta Lacks we are eternally grateful.

[@sneal8526]

you could say..... Henrietta lacks mortal cells im not sorry

[@magiv4205]

Beautiful👏

[@rinaberman7686]

That one hurt me.

[@rinaberman7686]

But it was clever.

[@sbollimpalli]

Cool Kuy 🖕

[@sneal8526]

;(

[@Bee-ys6kt]

I wish the video spent more time discussing the horrific ethical violations she endured - in her life and after - cause it feels like the story is incomplete when you try to summarize the ongoing consent issues in a sentence or two. The video touches on it, but this really doesn't do Henrietta or her family justice. She didn't even get to consent to the original biopsy cause the doctors took it without telling her. I REALLY recommend listening to the podcast "This Podcast Will Kill You" and their Henrietta Lacks episode, they go into detail into her life and what she endured and feels pretty respectful while still giving a more complete story.

[@stephaniegarza133]

Thank you so much for healing so many people.

[@StevenTorrey]

The book about Henrietta Lacks --- THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot--made for fascinating reading.

[@StevenTorrey]

+Steven Torrey In the days of Henrietta Lacks, cells were named by the first two letters of the first and last name of the patient--hence, HeLa cells. John Moore complained about cells derived from his spleen being called Mo. He thought this was dehumanizing. So now cells are given numbers instead of names. Yet, Henrietta Lacks herself achieves recognition and immortality by having the cells named directly after her--Henrietta Lacks--HeLa.

[@StevenTorrey]

+Steven Torrey Also in the days of Henrietta Lacks (she died in 1951) the ethics re the taking of cells, the taking and disposal of body parts, and financial remuneration for any pharmaceutical cures from any medical research with the cell was far hazier than it is today. To say the family was denied 'financial recompense' as a result of pharmaceuticals derived from her cells suggests a level of intentional sinister that is just not there. Not even in a sense of 'oversight.' The safeguards in place today were simply not present in those days. And even today, once that biopsy leaves the body, once the limb leaves the body, the patient cannot claim it for his own; and there are a lot of health reasons for that. Like what is a person going to do with an 'appendix? Where does the patient keep it? And lots of other practical health considerations re diseased body parts. (Rebecca Skloot discussed this in her book, THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS. And the Court has consistently sided with the medical profession regarding ownership of disposed body parts.)

[@soldadoblanco10]

Henrietta Lacks death seems mysterious. Think about it business wise, after making a discovery of her cells why need her, but her cells; therefore, she can't claim profits of her unique cells, she dies of cervical cancer is what they say. In my point of view, Lacks was deprived of life in exchange for financial wealth. It's just the new world, that's how corporations and private firms earn their wealth, off the back of others.

[@Smithworks2]

Steven Torrey so you are okay with the continual "co-opting" of the African American body for furthering of science and future endeavors to heal etc. I did not read the book (I plan to) but even I know that the Eurocentric mind WOULD see that there is nothing wrong with profiting off "black bodies" because it is disposable. Shame on you for your "lack" of sensitivity and your cavalier attitude toward savage thievery. The LEAST the scientists could have done (if not share profits) was let the woman know what they were doing. You probobly think it was okay to use those Tuskeegee men to do syphilis experiments on cause they WERE considered 3/5ths human. Get outta here! People talk trash when its about "them folks" or "other", would you be so understanding and cavalier if it were YOUR family's DNA used to pioneer present modern day medicines, and your family didn't even get the respect of a scientists disclosure agreement! #FOHWTBS

[@Harm10412]

Cristian Mercado Sorry, but that is conspiracy nonsense. She had cancer in the early 1950s and received the treatment that was standard at the time. Unfortunately, that couldn't prevent the cancer from metastasizing and she died within less than a year. I doubt researchers had figured out the value of the cells by then: they were initially donated to other labs and the discoveries mentioned in the video were made years or decades later. Also, keep in mind that these were different times in terms of patient consent and on top of that she was African-American in a time before the civil rights era.

[@KyleNappTheMaster]

so how did the transaction of the cells go "Hey you want some cancer cells?" "why would I want that?" "Don't worry, they're immortal" "OKAY LETS HAVE 'EM"

[@kayleigh3200]

No the doctors took her cells without her even knowing it. It's like when they ask for maybe a blood test or something. But they took some of her tissue without her consent. And it's a shame her family got not even a penny out of it even though HeLa cells cured so many diseases and helped so many people and just mankind in general.

[@justathought973]

@*xai* So, they were still her cells. Cancer is still your cells, cells that won't turn off but they're still your cells.

[@CharlesAngelus]

@@justathought973 ...Don't people seek treatment specifically to have their tumors removed?

[@stevemc01]

There was a lot of controversy over these because Henrietta’s family never got any credit for the unintentional contribution she gave medical science (partially because they were called “Helen Lane” cells).

[@grogmakefire3313]

The animation in this is so good!

[@Feynstein100]

"We still don't know why HeLa cells are immortal" Umm I think we kinda do. Telomerase allows a cell to bypass the Hayflick limit of 50 divisions by lengthening the telomeres during mitosis.

[@narmerland]

+Feynstein100 how would you explain this to a 6 year old?

[@h7opolo]

+KinGSeth A cell can be thought of as a person. Telomerase is a protein that controls the telomeres, like a medicine. Your "person," aka cell, has a heart of DNA. The person clones his/herself, and each time, his/her heart unravels a little, like a piece of individually wrapped hard candy. The "person" can multiply his/herself 50 times before his/her candy heart is unwrapped and eaten by his/her clones. However, if the "person" eats enough medicinal Telmorase, the candy heart doesn't unravel and the "person" gets to keep living with all his/her clone friends. That is cancer in a six-year explanation. I hope that helps.

[@lesROKnoobz]

+h7opolo nice explanation A+

[@xoreign]

Telemeres aren't the only problem. there's also an ionic buildup around the DNA over time which also prevents immortality in normal cases.

[@Feynstein100]

Xoreign Hmm. You have my attention. Do tell.

[@phenlism]

When I was interning at NIH, an amazing group of scholars gave myself and a group of other students the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". I have markings and bookmarks all over this book just to make note of my favorite and most inspiring parts and even wrote a paper on it in university. I highly recommend this book to anyone! It doesn't matter your education level. It's just the most interesting book I've ever had. You will come to know and love the Lacks family and understand their side.

[@adeash02]

Yes!!! I got my copy at the NIH I’m in the middle of reading it now. I have diff emotions reading it shocked, amazed and sad.

[@_________5700]

Our science teacher gave us this video to watch and it was interesting.

[@Bruh-jr9vi]

I see people talk about the animation/art in other Ted Ed videos but no one seems to be talking about it in this video, so just to say, the animation is amazing!

[@EugeneKhutoryansky]

Interesting information.

[@Berteotti]

+Ang badang I have the same feeling ahahahah

[@DekuStickGamer]

+Ang badang he's advertising that's why on all the popular vids

[@io543]

+Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky I'm up-voting so people can check you out.

[@mackoncars7579]

+Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky No offense to the scientists (well maybe a little)but this is stupid! If HeLa cells are unusual in the sense they will reproduce indefinitely and can survive on their own, why test them to substitute for results from normal cells, sure it's easy, but it CHANGES THE RESULTS! I mean there have to be other changes that are indistinguishable but we won't find any because all of the test cells are HeLa cells. Am I missing something?

[@kkirschkk]

besucse there close enough to normal cells that if it works on these then it might work on normal cells, and they do test on normal cells as well

[@mushroom262]

Moment of appreciation to the artist who drew all the art for this video

[@Mahdi-ln5hp]

Live in peace, Henrietta 🙏

[@Eightbyte]

her decendants had no knowledge of this till around 2011, I'd reccomend reading "the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks" her story is relatively sad but her life and death has undoubtedly saved hundreds and changed the world. You can literally buy hela cells on the internet and yet her family stayed poor and still never got a cent from it. Back in the day when they first discovered it they tested what injection does (injection caused cancer at the injection site), you can just by cancer on the internet with enough money if you really wanted to and I think thats very scary...

[@memestealer8857]

This is literally incorrect

[@memestealer8857]

They had known about it for several years prior to Skloot showing up

[@motorcycleman115]

Henrietta lacks probably could have provided a fortunes worth of scientific discoveries if her case was handled correctly.

[@imortalones]

true that. Thats really what should be learned here xd

[@jaredmorse6539]

Which it was! Good job, humanity, you actually did one damn thing right for once.

[@gogolouie7768]

Don't you think her permission should g have been given?

[@Cardandcointricks]

Gogo Louie Yes of course it should have been obtained. However at the time, it was common not to obtain consent from patients for any research. It want until nearly a decade later when the NIH decided to begin using Ethics committees for granting research funding. This came off the back of research they conducted showing that very few of the labs they funded, had bothered to gain consent.

[@foubrac7173]

It was handled correctly except for the fact that they didn’t tell her family or her that they took her cells.

[@hub3530]

Queen Elizabeth: finally a worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!

[@ethanlynch9471]

It's a shame the human race will have died out before their battle ends

[@issacpearson4749]

I think she gets organ transplants

[@maybe_ronin.]

Mirtha Legrand: Heh... amateurs...

[@imnotconsistent4504]

Now I’m just imagining the queen with a sword and traditional armour taking stance

[@epicjay8615]

@@imnotconsistent4504 great. Now I have that image in my head, thank you.

[@jakkuwolfinsomnia8058]

How poetic, Henrieta may have died but her cells live on forever

[@albertnortononymous9020]

It’s actually her grudge

[@moyai9001]

Thank you for teaching this to me Ted

[@gregboucaard6181]

Thank you, henrietta!

[@ruthhh.m]

If you guys liked this video, I would recommend reading the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". I chose to read it for a prior AP Lang class and I loved it! The aquiration of the HeLa cell was a lot more shady than this video reveals. The book has interviews with her family and reveals their resulting hardships as well as the struggle of minorities to receive help within the medical field in Henrietta's time.

[@riteshluitel1705]

yes, I did read the boook. So strange that this video was recommended to me

[@karisheldon4483]

i read that book to. i heard about HELA before the book but now i know so much more about it. HELA helped with a lot of things but its sad that they took her cells without asking or telling her family.

[@leonardodtc1493]

I hated the book, totally disturbing

[@uyagraph]

@@leonardodtc1493 how

[@carolynmitchell2878]

I’m reading it now

[@Ali.kazem77]

This is one of my favourite Ted-Ed videos now❤️

[@LanNguyen-lu8wk]

thanks a lot for an amazing information

[@capybarafilmstudios1620]

me: eating grape jelly the other scientists realizing there's missing HeLa samples:

[@burntpasta3240]

You’re a scientist?

[@cactiman6593]

@@burntpasta3240 it was a joke

[@cyrusmann5443]

UH OH

[@winzyl9546]

Again

[@MammalianCreature]

@@cactiman6593 So was their comment, a set up for another joke too. Too bad nobody played along with it.

[@rtee4227]

why do people dislike science videos? lol. they're not hurting anybody!

[@rw2227]

R Tee Yeah but religious people get offended

[@DoubIoons]

about what?

[@jacob9602]

R Tee 122 people don't like black peoples

[@iglusmulmus2654]

jake2003 and black people don't like white people

[@develpala]

Monkey D Luffy, are YOU not forgetting that it is some people who do not accept science as an explaination over their beliefs, and not the overall religion? (which no individual can reprecent)

[@dikshasaun9863]

Thanks to her

[@rustfun2159]

People are going to start using this stuff like Hashirama cells

[@Willpower360]

So we got the benefit of living from a person that is dying (died) from cancer.

[@Vk-jw2hl]

William Xu pretty much

[@rich763690]

William Xu AN EXTREMELY DURABLE CERVICAL CANCER........TO ACCURATE........

[@pukamaroo]

William Xu Yeah.. Tbh though it's better than hearing about lab rat tests

[@Shadow77999]

isnt that cool? 😆

[@JamesSmith-pi6hi]

Ok well she was going to die from her late stage cervical cancer, so she might as well help humanity.

[@Child_of_Amun]

And now she has a school named after her, and she's in the hall of fame. I hope this honors our ancestor, so she may rest in peace.

[@flawlessmind3017]

may god bless her soul. Rest in peace Henrieta!

[@Darkpsyer]

This channel is amazing

[@JacobMoss]

Deadpool has HeLa cells.

[@Child_Friendly_Child_I_Swear]

Jacob Moss Def.

[@MouseGoat]

HeLa is Deadpool ^^

[@dango-san9166]

no in the cervix

[@nachomori3756]

Jacob Moss or tumors

[@travelmaniak3127]

No Dp Cells

[@leonardohelveciodeoliveira5233]

Normal cell:lvl 1 crook HeLa: lvl 100 mafia boss

[@sparecreeper1580]

Cos that’s how mafia works

[@DJ_Force]

I can't get past her five children who's mother was taken from them when they needed a mother the most, and a single father in the 50s trying to keep his family together 😥

[@peachyrays9018]

My teacher was kind enough to spread her story. Henrietta Lacks is amazing honestly.

[@misscleo378]

Thank you Mrs. Henrietta Lacks. We are forever grateful to you and your unique contribution to science and medical research.

[@Valorhammer]

So Hela is technically the first legit (X-men levels) mutant?

[@darkgxk]

sounds about right yea

[@dango-san9166]

No more like, the reason why a lot of people is still alive today.

[@federubio2519]

No, but the tumor that killed her is

[@mrwho6276]

Fedestroyer Rubio dead you mean

[@michelledutton6333]

i think

[@aspirant_IIT-KGP]

Why is nobody talking about the animation!!...ngl it's soo cool

[@April-201]

Great video explaining the situation. It’s about time to family gets compensated.

[@boy638]

Henrietta Lacks was the Only person on the world to have this cell?

[@RKNGL]

The cells were extracted at a very late stage of cancer, it is unlikely that she was the only patient to have the cells. Though she is the first to have those cells studied.

[@Rabijeel]

+boy638 Unlikeley. But, she was the first one, where this cells were recorded and could be extracted. So, if you have what you need, why spend further energy in the search for similar things as you know, you will find it? The cells are "immortal", so they will not cease to exist. She just had a very basic form of cancer, comparable to everyone having Lemonade or Icetea while you having distilled Water as drink. Indeed, the immortality is the problem in our genetic construction plan - we need to be mortal, or we would die by cancer before even reach the 6th Birthday. Mortality is the motor of our evolution, allowing us to adapt and survive - we can even alter our attributes to adapt to our enviroment within 20 Years by just living in that enviroment - if we were immortal, we need to reproduce for that and even then it woiuld be unlikeley that some mutation takes root, as the Genes were stable - so, adaption would take about (estimated) 120-1200 Years, as genetic adaption only happens by reproduction. It were not her normal cells, it was the mutation of it, the cancer, who bears the possibility of immortality - as every cancer can do at a small possibility.

[@Dantick09]

+boy638 She was a mutant

[@kimikotekuno2108]

+Dantick09 If she were a mutant, it would have been from the sex cells in one of her parents. She was no more a mutant than any other cancer victim. The mutation happened only in her cancer cells. And because on that cancer, many lives were save and in a way, she is still alive today.

[@Rabijeel]

Kimiko Tekuno Depends. Basically, you are true, but on the other hand, we are all mutants, having inactive potential for some mutaton - this is why some people have keen sight and others need glasses. And both of them could be the "mutant". People which are getting very old while doing unhealthy stuff have mostly some genetic advantage like a better resistance against toxics or very strong DNA very resistant against damage. So, if Danticks thought, even if just a joke, can be true or not - and that can be solved by taking a closer look at this circumstances in her family tree - either there is some predisposition towards getting old or there is a predisposition towards the opposite, die young but having a astonishingly rate of healing while alive. This mostly is a rezessive Gene, so we need to take a look at her grandmother and cousins and nephews. Indeed, the question about the Nature of this Mutation was one of my first thoughts I was very interested in as I saw this.

[@gerrenx7]

It's crazy seeing these racists that think this woman doesn't deserve to be acknowledged

[@Will-jc2cw]

Jonas Salk was a White American I don't know why they coloured him that way @ 2:58

[@polskieyt9191]

cool. great info