Chapters 10 -14 is really interesting. I was enthralled by the fact that while they were mass producing the HeLa cells at Tuskeegee Institute, the Tuskeegee experiment was occuring. In your post, please reflect on the plethora of information given about the HeLa cells and the impact on mankind.
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I am really hooked! Can't wait to read your thoughts!
Throughout Chapters 10-14, it was talked about how the HeLa cells had an impact on the people of the world. The expansion of the HeLa cells led to the creation of a "Cell Distribution Center". These HeLa cells also led to the diversity of people studying HeLa cells, including the director of "Negro Activities" at Tuskegee Institute,Charles Bynum. This led to the creating of a factory at Tuskegee Institute used to culture cells through various mediums or media.
ReplyDeleteThe HeLa cell business becamse a multi-trillion dollar business, although the HeLa cells were eventually sold for only 50 Dollars. These cells led to the vaccine of Poliovirus and also being able to discover various genetic conditions such as Turner syndrome and Down syndrome. These were actually found when a geneticist in Texas mixed the wrong liquids. Thus, the chromosomes were able to be counted, because the chromosomes swelled and spread out, leading to the discovery of genetic conditions.
HeLa cells have been very influential on mankind, even today, because we are now able to diagnose and cure diseases and conditions that were nearly impossible to discover and cure before HeLa cells were being cultured.
I was intrigued as to how many discoveries were made possible by the HeLa cells. I was also intrigued at the fact that the cells being malignant, made it even better to help develop some of the vaccines and cures that they have today. It just amazed me that one woman's cells made so many things possible and opened up opportunities for so many advances in medicine. Regardless of if her cells were taken without permission, they had a huge impact on the world and I'm starting to actually be glad that they were taken in the first place. It still would be nice if her family received some form of compensation for all the money being made from the HeLa cells but people are just selfish and money hungry I guess.
Deletei know not only did the help find new discoveries in the science aand medical field it also became a million dollar busniess.i find it intreasting that single handedly henrietta lacks without even knowing it help save thousands of lives with just one cell that has been massed produced around the world. it really makes you wonder were we would have been with out her cells. i still leaves the question though did the scientist actully not tell her for thier benfit or for hers. i wonder if they could do it all oer again would they make the same choice or do the right thing. but either way it goes without the cells medicine would be at a lost.
DeleteChapters 10-14 were about the death of Henrietta Lacks and the development of the expansion of HeLa cells. The HeLa cells opened up so many opportunities for science and cell culturing all together, starting with helping to create the first polio vaccine. At the time, there was a large polio epidemic and scientists were looking for an alternative way to test the polio vaccine without the use of monkey cells due to monkeys being so expensive. HeLa cells, which proved to be susceptible to the polio virus and could be mass produced, was an inexpensive and basically perfect solution.
ReplyDeleteThe discovery led to the development of the HeLa Distribution Center at the Tuskegee Institute.
HeLa cells also helped launched the field of virology and helped the development of freezing cells without changing or damaging them. The cells had part in many other discoveries like cell cloning, proving that there are actually 46 chromosomes in the human cell and not 48. HeLa cells even took part in the discovery of genetic disorders and diseases such as Down Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, and Turner Syndrome. The HeLa cells had an extremely large impact on science and the medical field all together and helped make some many medical discoveries possible.
While reading through these five chapters, I found extremely interesting how the development of the cells were used to begin a multi-trillion dollar business. Not only did HeLa's cells lead to a very successful business, it also helped a countless number of people by helping to create a vaccine for a disease that paralyzed a former president.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that i found quite interesting was when the book began to talk about a mistake made by a scientist who was trying to discover exactly how many chromosomes a person has so that it would make it easier to determine if a person lacks chromosomes or has an excess of them. A mistake that in any other setting may have been disastrous, but given the unique nature that the cells present allowed for further examination and progressed the field of science beyond belief.
I found the business quite interesting also. HeLa's cells helped many Americans; but the book says she helped mostly white people.So she didn't even help her own people as much as she did the people who took her cells. The DNA mistake was very weird. Usually in science you have to be really precise, and accidents result in danger. But this time, the outcome was good. Im glad he made that mistake, because it lead to many more discoveries.
DeleteI agree, HeLa made a pathway for many things; discoveries, the employment of African Americans, and the boom of successful businesses. I found the scientist's mishap interesting and somewhat amusing, as well. His mistake led to something groundbreaking and he was completely oblivious about it! His mistake furthered research and made discoveries even more.
DeleteChapters 10 to 14, focused more on the extreme dynamic of Henrietta's cells and the actual significance of it. Readers knew that the HeLa cells were important, however they did not realize the powerful impact it actually had on mankind. A plethora amount of experiments were done to the cells to find the cure of diseases, such as herpes, measles, mumps, fowl pox and etc,as well as simple things such as which glassware and test tube stoppers were least toxic to cells.
ReplyDeleteThe cells also impacted people, financially. The rising cells founded employment and organizations such as the HeLa Distribution Center at the Tuskegee Institute and Microbiological Associates. Although the craze of Henrietta's cells were sporadic, many cures and discoveries were uprooted; the genetic disease, in particular which evokes the patients with :down syndrome have an extra chromosome number, Klinefelter had an extra sex chromosome and Turner syndrome lacked all sex chromosomes. The HeLa cells are proved to be very significant in present days, as it provides in vitro fertilization- which is a modern day desire- as well as what happens to man's cells when under extreme conditions, like excursions such as deep sea diving.
The chapters focus more on the profound significance it had on mankind. The cells proved to be a phenomenon because of its travelling capabilities, easy growth and easy access.
I really liked how they went into great detail with the shipment process. It engaged me as a reader, and allowed me to see just how far we've come since the 1950's. Cells in space sounds pretty cool.
DeleteChapters 10-14 was a hard read for me.Although the book is exceptionally good,this section wasn't quite as appealing. As Skloot talks more to family members, Cootie seems to be the most friendly so far. Cootie gave Skloot valuable information, instead of just ignoring her or telling her to leave.
ReplyDeleteThough I know this book is non-fiction, I cannot imagine Henrietta's tumor-filled body. Her pain must've been immense. When Henrietta died, it was a very sad moment; although she knew she was going to pass away. The most touching part was when Sadie began to cry, when she say Henrietta's chipped toenail polish. This, again, reminded me of how REAL Henriette Lacks was.
There was a lot of information to grasp in these 5 chapters. One thing that did stand out to me was the Tuskegee Institute. It really hurt me when iI read, "Black scientists and technicians...and they did so on the same campus and at the very same time as the Tuskegee syphilis studies." This single paragraph in the book, emphasized my thoughts on how white Americans cared nothing about black American. It showed me that racism is such a strong belief, that it can cause one to use other humans for evil doing. As these black scientists/technicians worked hard using HeLa cells to cure many white Americans; white Americans were injecting black Americans with syphilis. This disturbs me, and is very unethical.
HeLa cells are sold all around the world, and are probably worth billions of dollars. So why hasn't her family even seen a penny of this money?
HeLa cells were the first cells to be cloned, and helped develop methods for freezing cells without harming or killing them. Yes, HeLa cells were cancerous; they acted as healthy cells. THey divided,generated energy,produced proteins, and etc. . HeLa cells were also used to create the polio vaccine. A whole business was made of selling HeLa cells. HeLa cells have been sold all around the world for over 50 years, and are probably worth over billions of dollars. So why hasn't her family seen one penny of it?
I have to agree with you about the syphilis studies. That's just ridiculous, I think, to have this African American woman saving so many white lives with these studies in which her skin color has nothing to do with the study but when it came to the syphilis studies they were injecting these black people to see the late stages?? To see how it killed them. I know it was an important study but the way that the study was carried out was just... I mean what else could they do considering they had no funds to support their family at the time. They gave their lives for a just a bit more money for their family.
DeleteAlso the factor of the family not seeing a bit of the money that Henrietta was the source of. I mean without her cells, there would have been nothing. You know? just very frustrating
I must agree about the unethical sense of it all.
I definitely loved the emotional approach within this book. Skloot deviated away from the cold emotionless approach to just straight facts that many autobiographies tend to follow. The thing that snatched a lump in my throat was how the family had seen the storm as a manifestation of the pain and emotions of Herietta prior to her death. I also liked how Sadie started to see what she was doing from a more humane prospective rather than that of a scientist just looking at a clump of cells.
DeleteI find the family's story very enthralling beginning with chapters 10-14. As the mass production of HeLa cells began a surging increase, developments on exactly what these little mass-produced miracles could do. With these cells, scientist discovered diseases like Down and Turner's syndrome or at least found out more more about them. Which is ironic, considering that during the 1950's people with disorders like down syndrome would be sent to an asylum, where Henrietta's daughter is housed.
ReplyDeleteThe HeLa cells made a significant contribution to science, but at what cost to the family and African-Americans through the country? While vaccinations and discoveries were being made, trails were still being held simultaneously with blacks being probed and infected. Henrietta's family was not given any information concerning their relatives health condition. So we must ask ourselves, What should humanity pay for scientific discovery, when people themselves may suffer for it?
I feel like the HeLa cells opened up a doorway for Africamn-Americans throughout the country. Remember when Tuskegee opened up the research center, six black students and Charles Bynum were the first ones and were chosen to research things about HeLa cells. And I do think that it was unjust for scientists and researchers not to inform Henrietta's family about the research and harboring of her cells, eventually becoming a multi-trillion dollar business. However, i think Gey made the perfect decision in not releasing her name to the editors wanting to write an article about Henrietta Lacks.
DeleteI understand your concern that you expressed in the last paragraph Caitlin. However its just the negative aspects of brilliant scientific discoveries are never really shown, therefore you never really get an insight on who or what has been trampled upon to help change the world forever. while tragic, there is nothing that can be down about it besides acknowledging it and moving on. If all we did was worry about every single person furthering science would hurt, we would not be where we are today.
DeleteSticking to the science aspect of the book in these chapters it talked about a scientist that made a fluke a great discovery in the genetics field. It was quite a break through with Downs Syndrome and Turners syndrome etc. Going off of that, all this would not have been possible if the industry in selling the cells had not boomed. The fact that they had access to ideally an "endless" supply of cells made the cells, well, sell. It was a little shady/sketchy that not a cent of that money reached the family.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the family, there was quite a bit of the family aspect in these few chapters. Cootie was the least hesitant so far and answered some questions Rebecca wanted. They also talked about Henrietta's death which I could only imagine. It really opened my mind to what families, not only the patient, but families or friends have to go through with a person so close to them that has a terminal illness.
These chapter were the most interesting for me because, they started to delve more into the science behing the HeLa cells. The cell line was found to be remarkably durable and prolific as illustrated by its contamination of many other cell lines used in research. What interested me most was the mass production of the HeLa cells. Over such a short period of time, using Gey's methods, The Tuskegee Institue was able to mass produce cells to send all around the world.
ReplyDeleteThis allowed for scientist to conduct multiple experiments that would have been inhibited by trying to procure costly tissue sample from a multitude of other animals. This phenomenal advancement allowed for scientists all around the world to test a multitude of theories and vaccines on human tissue that was once believed to be impossible since the methods for growing human tissue proved to be too laborious, and they often ended up dying. Another thing that drew my attention was that this development in the world of science evoked more scientific advancement throughout the scientific community since there was such a high demand for for HeLa cells all around the world. This coincidental occurrence was one that was ahead of the years of science in that time tantamount to the discovery of the Americas.
These chapters were very interesting. I had no idea that so much went into the development of different vaccines and other biological discoveries. I most certainly did not know of the large amounts of cells that were distributed in order for these discoveries to be made.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that they could produce so many batches of HeLa cells from just that one sliver from her crevics. I am curious as to why Gey was so reluctant to allow the name of the cells to be released to the public, and the use of the cells to be continued.
reading this book put in perpesctive how real rasicm was at this time and how people completly disregarded black people as a person. the Tuskeegee Institute was ingecting black people with syphillis even though the new the outcome of the whole thing. they never even thought that with out a black woman they would have never change the world or made millions selling it and mass producing it. its hard to imagine that this story actully happened to a family. the didnt seem a dime of the money and it wasnt like there wasnt enough to go around because with out their sacerfice none of this would have been possible. i wonder if henrietta was a white woman would that have change everything would they have tried harder to save her would they have told her about the effects it had on her body would her treatment have been better.Or would it be the same thing over again? they were pretty muh using the african race for a profit like test rats injecting them with things that will kill them while injecting white people with black cell to save them its just sicking that they put that many people at risk. is indangering half a race worth saving another?
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