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Did Henrietta's cells become an immortalized cell line before or after her death?
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Answer
After Henrietta Lacks’ death, her cancerous cells were taken without her or her family’s knowledge or consent by a doctor and put into culture, where they became the first immortalized human cells. This cell line, known as HeLa, was instrumental in several scientific advancements, such as the development of the polio vaccine.
HeLa Heroine: Discovering the Legacy of Henrietta Lacks
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