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Why are Henrietta Lacks's cells so important?
The cells taken from Henrietta's tumor are important because they continue to grow without dying, as normal human cells do. Since they are extremely resilient and multiply quickly, they are very useful for all kinds of medical research, which had previously been much more expensive. The cells played a key role in the development of the polio vaccine, and have contributed used in important research into AIDS, cancer, and other diseases.
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Why does Rebecca Skloot become so fascinated by Henrietta's cells?
Skloot first hears about about HeLa cells in a community college biology class she takes at age 16 in 1988. All...
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