Who is Henrietta Lacks?

• A. A scientist who discovered DNA
• B. A woman whose cancer cells were the first human cells to be grown outside the human body
• C. A patient who developed cervical cancer in the 1950s
• D. A nurse who studied cell culture

Answer: (B)

Understanding who Henrietta Lacks is and why her cells matter helps explain the significance of HeLa cells in biology. Henrietta Lacks was a woman who had cervical cancer in the early 1950s. From her tumor tissue, scientists were able to culture cells that could be grown indefinitely in the lab, creating the first immortal human cell line known as HeLa. This breakthrough allowed endless experimentation and contributed to many major advances, including vaccines and cancer research. The reason this option is the best is that it directly describes her role and the landmark achievement—the first human cells that could be grown outside the body and kept alive for ongoing study. The other statements either attribute the discovery to someone else, or describe her only as a patient or nurse without noting the scientific milestone her cells enabled.