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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between HeLa Cells and Cancer Cells?

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HeLa cells and cancer cells are both types of immortal cells, but they have some key differences:

  1. Origin: HeLa cells are derived from cervical cancer cells taken from a woman named Henrietta Lacks. Cancer cells, on the other hand, are immortal cells that can be classified based on their origin in the human body, such as epithelial cancer cells, blood cancer cells, immune system cancer cells, connective tissue cancer cells, central nervous system cancer cells, or mesothelium cancer cells.
  2. Chromosomal Abnormalities: HeLa cells have a significantly altered karyotype, with 76 to 80 total chromosomes, some of which are heavily mutated. This is due to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which causes nearly all cervical cancers and inserts its DNA into host cells, leading to errors in the genome.
  3. Growth Rate: HeLa cells grow unusually fast, even for cancer cells. They can double their cellular count in just 24 hours.
  4. Usage: HeLa cells are extensively used in scientific research due to their ability to survive through endless generations of cells and their ease of use in the lab. Cancer cells, however, are mainly used for diagnostic purposes in the detection of different cancers.

In summary, HeLa cells are a specific immortalized cell line derived from cervical cancer cells, while cancer cells are immortal cells that can be classified based on their origin in the human body. HeLa cells have unique chromosomal abnormalities, grow faster than normal cancer cells, and are widely used in scientific research, whereas cancer cells are primarily used for diagnostic purposes.

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  • What is the Difference Between HeLa Cells and Cancer Cells?
  • Comparative Table: HeLa Cells vs Cancer Cells

    • Comparative Table: HeLa Cells vs Cancer Cells

    HeLa cells and cancer cells are both types of immortal cells, but they have some intrinsic differences. Here is a table summarizing the differences between HeLa cells and cancer cells:

    Feature HeLa Cells Cancer Cells
    Origin Developed in the 1950s from a particularly aggressive strain of cervical cancer cells taken during a routine biopsy from a 30-year-old patient, Henrietta Lacks Cancer cells are derived from various types of cancer, such as breast, lung, or colon cancer, and are not specific to a single origin
    Immortality HeLa cells are an immortalized cell line, which means they can continue to grow and divide indefinitely Cancer cells, while not as immortal as HeLa cells, can still divide and grow indefinitely, leading to tumor formation
    Genomic Stability HeLa cells have a high degree of genomic instability, with substantial differences between different clones and a low degree of similarity with the initial tumor and the human diploid genome Cancer cells may also have some degree of genomic instability, but it is not as extreme as in HeLa cells
    Use in Research HeLa cells are widely used in biomedical research due to their immortality and ease of culture Cancer cells are used to study specific types of cancer and their behavior, but are not as widely used as HeLa cells in research

    It is important to note that the use of HeLa cells in research has raised ethical concerns due to the lack of informed consent from the patient who donated the original samples. Researchers should be mindful of these concerns when using HeLa cells or any other human cell lines in their studies.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.