"Immortal" Cells

[mramirez720]

Has anyone read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks? It's such a fascinating and sad true story. It was interesting to read about telomeres. Normal cells die because telomeres shorten at each division, so after a while there is nothing left of these cells.  Henrietta's "Immortal" cancer cells expressed the enzyme telomerase that prevented shortening, so the cells never died. A great deal of medical advances came from studying her cells and they are still around today although she died in 1951. Jehovah can cause healthy cells to express telomerase! The telomeres will not shorten. The cells will continue to regenerate, and the person will live forever! (Of course, I know that Jehovah can ensure everlasting life any way he chooses. I just thought this was interesting and so simple really.) 

 

*     Telomeres and Cell Division:

      As normal cells divide, their telomeres shorten with each division until they are almost gone. 

 

• Telomere Shortening and Cell Death:

  Once telomeres are too short, cells stop dividing and begin to die. 

   
• Telomerase and HeLa Cells:

  Cancer cells, like HeLa, can divide indefinitely because they have telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres. 

   
• HeLa's Immortality:

  In the case of HeLa cells, telomerase constantly regenerates the telomeres of Henrietta's chromosomes, enabling them to outlive almost all other cells. 

[Miss Bea]

Loads and loads of research was done on this ladyʼs cancer cells. With no permission or renumeration. Eventually, i think there was recognitation. Of some sort. But, not for many, many years.