Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells (HeLa Line)
In this section, the digital image presented features a culture of HeLa cells* that was transfected with a pEYFP-Mitochondria plasmid subcellular localization vector, which contains the mitochondrial targeting sequence from subunit VIII of human cytochrome C oxidase. The enhanced yellow fluorescent protein gene used with this culture features several important amino acid substitutions that shift the emission maximum of green fluorescent protein (GFP) by approximately 18 nanometers, from 509 to 527 nanometers. The cells were additionally labeled with the nucleic acid stain SYTOX Orange and Alexa Fluor 350 conjugated to phalloidin, targeting DNA and filamentous actin, respectively.
*Although it became one of the most important cell lines in medical research, it’s imperative that we recognize Henrietta Lacks’ contribution to science happened without her consent. This injustice, while leading to key discoveries in immunology, infectious disease, and cancer, also raised important conversations about privacy, ethics, and consent in medicine.
To learn more about the life of Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to modern medicine, click here.
http://henriettalacksfoundation.org/
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