HeLa細胞的故(gu)事(shi)

Hela細胞的故(gu)事(shi)

Hela細胞的由來(lai)？誰(shui)是Henrietta Lacks？她(ta)是壹個(ge)身量苗(miao)條的女(nv)人，棕(zong)色皮膚，面容嬌(jiao)好，善(shan)於(yu)烹(peng)飪(ren)，是五(wu)個(ge)孩子(zi)的(de)母(mu)親，生活(huo)在(zai)六十(shi)年前巴爾(er)的(de)摩——那(na)時，黑(hei)人(ren)還不能與(yu)白(bai)人同(tong)院看(kan)病，而(er)她(ta)正是在(zai)慈善(shan)醫院(yuan)John Hopkins的“有(you)色病房(fang)”查出(chu)宮(gong)頸癌。很(hen)快，異(yi)常(chang)惡(e)性的癌(ai)癥(zheng)細胞無(wu)可逆轉地占據(ju)了(le)她(ta)幾(ji)乎所(suo)有的內(nei)臟器官，“像覆(fu)蓋著(zhe)壹顆(ke)顆(ke)白(bai)色的(de)珍(zhen)珠(zhu)”，她(ta)抽(chou)搐(chu)、咳血(xue)、消(xiao)瘦，死(si)於(yu)1951年(nian)的(de)秋(qiu)天(tian)。從(cong)Henrietta Lacks體(ti)內(nei)提出(chu)的(de)癌(ai)細胞，在(zai)實驗(yan)室(shi)裏*繁殖，成為(wei)人(ren)類歷(li)*在(zai)體外(wai)被成功(gong)培(pei)養(yang)的(de)細胞株——大(da)名鼎(ding)鼎(ding)的Hela細胞。 

Hela細胞究(jiu)竟(jing)有多少(shao)仍(reng)然(ran)存活(huo)？這(zhe)壹問(wen)題(ti)的(de)答案早(zao)已無(wu)從(cong)知(zhi)曉。壹位科學(xue)家(jia)曾經估(gu)算(suan)，如果(guo)妳(ni)把(ba)所(suo)有曾經培(pei)育(yu)過的Hela細胞放(fang)到(dao)天(tian)平上稱量，它(ta)們(men)的(de)總(zong)重量加(jia)起(qi)來(lai)會(hui)超過5000萬噸(dun)——這(zhe)壹(yi)數(shu)字簡直(zhi)不(bu)可思(si)議，要知(zhi)道，每(mei)壹(yi)個(ge)單獨(du)細胞的重量輕(qing)到(dao)幾(ji)乎可以忽(hu)略(lve)不(bu)計(ji)。另(ling)外(wai)壹位科學(xue)家(jia)還做(zuo)過壹項(xiang)計(ji)算(suan)，稱如果(guo)妳(ni)把(ba)所(suo)有培(pei)育(yu)過的Hela細胞時候尾相(xiang)連，它(ta)們(men)可以繞(rao)地(di)球至(zhi)少(shao)三圈，長度(du)橫跨350，000，000英(ying)尺(chi)。而(er)在(zai)亨麗愛塔(ta)的盛年，她(ta)站(zhan)起來(lai)身高才(cai)不(bu)過五(wu)英(ying)尺(chi)多壹點(dian)。

摘：

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. 

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave. 

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells. 

來(lai)源(yuan)：女(nv)作家(jia)Rebecca Skloot   書《The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks》HeLa細胞的故(gu)事(shi)