HeLa Cells












History of Henrietta Lacks' cells
Description | HeLa cells, derived from the cervical cancer cells of Henrietta Lacks, are an immortal cell line widely employed in biomedical research. The human cell line Hela has significantly contributed to significant research advances and continues to play a pivotal role in laboratories worldwide. In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a young mother of five, sought medical attention at The Johns Hopkins Hospital for vaginal bleeding, where Dr. Howard Jones identified a significant malignant tumor on her cervix. At that time, the Johns Hopkins Medicine Institute was among the few institutions offering medical care to impoverished African Americans. Henrietta Lacks underwent radium treatment for her cervical cancer, the leading therapy available then. During her treatment, a biopsy was conducted, and a sample of her cancerous cells was sent to Dr. George Otto Gey's lab. Dr. Gey had been attempting to cultivate cells from cervical cancer patients of diverse backgrounds, but without success until Henrietta's cells, which were the first cells to proliferate continuously, a discovery that set them apart from all previous samples. Henrietta Lacks' cervical carcinoma was later found to have been caused by the Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common virus that can lead to cervical cancer among other diseases. Research on HeLa cells has significantly contributed to understanding the role of HPV in cervical cancer, leading to the development of preventive HPV vaccines, which have had a profound impact on reducing the incidence of HPV-related cancers. These extraordinary cells, termed "HeLa" cells after Henrietta Lacks' initials, have since become instrumental in medical research. They have enabled scientists to investigate cancer cell growth, the impact of various substances, and the workings of viruses, significantly contributing to medical advancements, including the development of vaccines for polio and COVID-19, without the ethical concerns of direct human experimentation. HeLa cells are widely used for gene function studies, recombinant protein production, and gene therapy due to their high transfection efficiency and susceptibility to viral infections. They are pivotal in researching viral behaviors, including replication and pathogenesis, and have played a key role in Hepatitis B research by expressing viral proteins and aiding in the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines, thereby significantly advancing global health measures. HeLa cells continue to be an invaluable resource for ongoing research in medicine and science. The significance of HeLa cells and other immortal cell lines cannot be overstated, as they continue to shape the field of medicine and infectious disease research, and they represent a lasting legacy of Henrietta Lacks and her contributions to scientific advancement. |
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Organism | Human |
Tissue | Cervix |
Disease | Adenocarcinoma |
Applications | Transfection host |
Synonyms | HELA, Hela, He La, He-La, Henrietta Lacks cells, Helacyton gartleri |
Details
Age | 30 years |
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Gender | Female |
Ethnicity | African American |
Morphology | Epithelial-like |
Growth properties | Adherent |
Documentation
Citation | HeLa (Cytion catalog number 300194) |
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Biosafety level | 1 |
Genetic profile
Isoenzymes | G6PD, A |
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Virus susceptibility | Human adenovirus 3, Encephalomyocarditis virus, Human poliovirus 1, Human poliovirus 2, Human poliovirus 3 |
Reverse transcriptase | Negative |
Products | Keratin, Lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) induces AP-1 activity and c-jun N-terminal kinase activity (JNK1) by a protein kinase C-independent pathway |
Karyotype | The HeLa cell line, with its complex karyotype featuring a high degree of aneuploidy and structural rearrangements, is known for its rapid growth and longevity in culture. HeLa cells typically exhibit 82 chromosomes, although the range can vary from 70 to 164. Notably, 98% of HeLa cells possess a small telocentric chromosome, and 100% exhibit aneuploidy in a substantial number of cells examined. These chromosomal abnormalities underpin their fast growth and immortality, along with their association with cervical cancer and other cancerous cells. |
Handling the Hela cell line
Culture Medium | EMEM (MEM Eagle), w: 2 mM L-Glutamine, w: 2.2 g/L NaHCO3, w: EBSS (Cytion article number 820100a) |
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Medium supplements | Supplement the medium with 10% FBS and 1% NEAA |
Passaging solution | Accutase |
Doubling time | 28 to 36 hours |
Subculturing | Remove the old medium from the adherent cells and wash them with PBS that lacks calcium and magnesium. For T25 flasks, use 3-5 ml of PBS, and for T75 flasks, use 5-10 ml. Then, cover the cells completely with Accutase, using 1-2 ml for T25 flasks and 2.5 ml for T75 flasks. Let the cells incubate at room temperature for 8-10 minutes to detach them. After incubation, gently mix the cells with 10 ml of medium to resuspend them, then centrifuge at 300xg for 3 minutes. Discard the supernatant, resuspend the cells in fresh medium, and transfer them into new flasks that already contain fresh medium. |
Split ratio | A ratio of 1:2 to 1:6 is recommended |
Seeding density | 1 x 10^4 cells/cm^2 |
Fluid renewal | 2 to 3 times per week |
Freezing recovery | After thawing, plate the cells at 2 to 3 x 10^4 cells/cm^2 and allow the cells to recover from the freezing process and to adhere for at least 24 to 48 hours. |
Freeze medium | As a cryopreservation medium, use complete growth medium (including FBS) + 10% DMSO for adequate post-thaw viability, or CM-1 (Cytion catalog number 800100), which includes optimized osmoprotectants and metabolic stabilizers to enhance recovery and reduce cryo-induced stress. |
Handling of cryopreserved cultures |
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Quality assurance of Hela cells
Sterility | Mycoplasma contamination is excluded using both PCR-based assays and luminescence-based mycoplasma detection methods. To ensure there is no bacterial, fungal, or yeast contamination, cell cultures are subjected to daily visual inspections. |
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STR profile |
Amelogenin: x,x
CSF1PO: 9,10
D13S317: 12,13.3
D16S539: 9,10
D5S818: 11,12
D7S820: 8,12
TH01: 7
TPOX: 8,12
vWA: 16,18
D3S1358: 15,18
D21S11: 27,28
D18S51: 16
Penta E: 7,17
Penta D: 8,15
D8S1179: 12,13
FGA: 18,21
D6S1043: 18
D2S1338: 17
D12S391: 20,25
D19S433: 13,14
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HLA alleles |
A*: '68:02:01
B*: '15:03:01
C*: '12:03:01
DRB1*: '01:02:01
DQA1*: '01:01:02
DQB1*: '05:01:01
DPB1*: '01:01:01
E: '01:03:02
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Required products
What's in EMEM?
EMEM is a modified version of Eagle's minimum essential medium, containing Earle's Balanced Salt Solution, non-essential amino acids, L-glutamine, sodium pyruvate, and sodium bicarbonate. It's important to note that this level of sodium bicarbonate is intended for use in 5% CO2 in the air. To maintain its effectiveness, storing the medium at 2°C to 8°C in the dark when not in use is recommended.
What is EMEM used for?
Eagle's minimal essential medium (EMEM) is a cell culture medium that can maintain cells in tissue culture. The medium contains higher concentrations of amino acids, allowing for a more accurate approximation of the protein composition of cultured mammalian cells. EMEM may be used to cultivate various cells, including fibroblasts, human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) cells and human fetal brain progenitor-derived astrocyte cells (PDA). It is typically used in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS), calf, or horse sera.
How is EMEM different from other cell culture media?
While EMEM and Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) share some similarities, they also differ. Both media lack protein and contain the amino acids, salts, glucose, and vitamins required to provide a cell with energy and maintain it in tissue culture. However, the DMEM formulation is modified to contain up to four times more vitamins and amino acids and two to four times more glucose than EMEM. It's worth noting that EMEM is also different from the original MEM formulation.
Quality Control
Sterile-filtered
Storage and Shelf Life
Store at +2°C to +8°C, protected from light.
Once opened, store at 4°C and use within 6–8 weeks.
Shipping Conditions
Ambient temperature
Maintenance
Keep refrigerated at +2°C to +8°C in the dark. Avoid freezing and frequent warming to +37°C, as it reduces product quality.
Do not heat the medium beyond 37°C or use uncontrolled heat sources such as microwave appliances.
If only part of the medium is to be used, remove the required amount and warm it to room temperature before use.
Composition
Category
Components
Concentration (mg/L)
Amino Acids
L-Arginine HCl
126.00
L-Cystine 2 HCl
31.30
L-Glutamine
292.00
L-Histidine HCl H2O
42.00
L-Isoleucine
52.00
L-Leucine
52.00
L-Lysine HCl
72.50
L-Methionine
15.00
L-Phenylalanine
32.00
L-Threonine
48.00
L-Tryptophan
10.00
L-Tyrosine 2 Na 2 H2O
51.90
L-Valine
46.00
Vitamins
Choline Chloride
1.00
Vitamins
D-Calcium Pantothenate
1.00
Folic Acid
1.00
myo-Inositol
2.00
Nicotinamide
1.00
Pyridoxal HCl
1.00
Riboflavin
0.10
Thiamine HCl
1.00
Inorganic Salts
CaCl2 2 H2O
265.00
Inorganic Salts
KCl
400.00
MgSO4
97.67
NaCl
6800.00
NaHCO3
2200.00
NaH2PO4
122.00
Other Components
D-Glucose
1000.00
Other Components
Phenol Red Sodium Salt
11.00
- A Gentle Alternative to Trypsin
Accutase is a cell detachment solution that is revolutionizing the cell culture industry. It is a mix of proteolytic and collagenolytic enzymes that mimics the action of trypsin and collagenase. Unlike trypsin, Accutase does not contain any mammalian or bacterial components and is much gentler on cells, making it an ideal solution for the routine detachment of cells from standard tissue culture plasticware and adhesion coated plasticware. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits and uses of Accutase and how it is changing the game in cell culture.
Advantages of Accutase
Accutase has several advantages over traditional trypsin solutions. Firstly, it can be used whenever gentle and efficient detachment of any adherent cell line is needed, making it a direct replacement for trypsin. Secondly, Accutase works extremely well on embryonic and neuronal stem cells, and it has been shown to maintain the viability of these cells after passaging. Thirdly, Accutase preserves most epitopes for subsequent flow cytometry analysis, making it ideal for cell surface marker analysis.
Additionally, Accutase does not need to be neutralized when passaging adherent cells. The addition of more media after the cells are split dilutes Accutase so it is no longer able to detach cells. This eliminates the need for an inactivation step and saves time for cell culture technicians. Finally, Accutase does not need to be aliquoted, and a bottle is stable in the refrigerator for 2 months.
Applications of Accutase
Accutase is a direct replacement for trypsin solution and can be used for the passaging of cell lines. Additionally, Accutase performs well when detaching cells for the analysis of many cell surface markers using flow cytometry and for cell sorting. Other downstream applications of Accutase treatment include analysis of cell surface markers, virus growth assay, cell proliferation, tumor cell migration assays, routine cell passage, production scale-up (bioreactor), and flow cytometry.
Composition of Accutase
Accutase contains no mammalian or bacterial components and is a natural enzyme mixture with proteolytic and collagenolytic enzyme activity. It is formulated at a much lower concentration than trypsin and collagenase, making it less toxic and gentler, but just as effective.
Efficiency of Accutase
Accutase has been shown to be efficient in detaching primary and stem cells and maintaining high cell viability compared to animal origin enzymes such as trypsin. 100% of cells are recovered after 10 minutes, and there is no harm in leaving cells in Accutase for up to 45 minutes, thanks to autodigestion of Accutase.
In summary
In conclusion, Accutase is a powerful solution that is changing the game in cell culture. With its gentle nature, efficiency, and versatility, Accutase is the ideal alternative to trypsin. If you are looking for a reliable and efficient solution for cell detachment, Accutase is the solution for you.
Phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) is a widely used buffer solution in biological and chemical research. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the pH balance and osmolarity during various experimental procedures, including tissue processing and cell culture. Our PBS solution is meticulously formulated with high-purity ingredients to ensure stability and reliability in every experiment. The osmolarity and ion concentrations of our PBS closely mimic those of the human body, making it isotonic and non-toxic to most cells.
Composition of Our PBS Solution
Our PBS solution is a pH-adjusted blend of ultrapure-grade phosphate buffers and saline solutions. At a 1X working concentration, it contains:
8000 mg/L Sodium chloride (NaCl)
200 mg/L Potassium chloride (KCl)
1150 mg/L Sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous (Na2HPO4)
200 mg/L Potassium phosphate monobasic anhydrous (KH2PO4)
This composition ensures an optimal pH and ionic balance, suitable for a wide range of biological applications.
Applications of Our PBS Solution
Our PBS solution is ideal for various applications in biological research. Its isotonic and non-toxic properties make it suitable for substance dilution and cell container rinsing. PBS solutions containing EDTA are effective for disengaging attached and clumped cells. However, divalent metals such as zinc should not be added to PBS, as this can cause precipitation. In such cases, Good's buffers are recommended. Additionally, our PBS solution is an acceptable alternative to viral transport medium for the transport and storage of RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.
Quality Control
Sterile-filtered
Storage and Shelf Life
Store at +2°C to +25°C, protected from light.
Once opened, store at 2°C to 25°C and use within 24 months.
Shipping Conditions
Ambient temperature
Maintenance
Keep refrigerated at +2°C to +8°C in the dark. Avoid freezing and frequent warming to +37°C, as it reduces product quality.
Do not heat the medium beyond 37°C or use uncontrolled heat sources such as microwave appliances.
If only part of the medium is to be used, remove the required amount and warm it to room temperature before use.
Composition
Category
Components
Concentration (mg/L)
Salts
Potassium chloride
200
Potassium phosphate monobasic anhydrous
200
Sodium chloride
8000
Sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous
1150
Certificate of Analysis (CoA)
Lot Number | Certificate Type | Date | Catalog Number |
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300194-150823 | Certificate of Analysis | 15. Apr. 2025 | 300194 |