TedEd Quiz: The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks

Why do scientists need to be able to study cells in a laboratory environment?

• So they won't endanger patients' lives

• So they can repeat experiments

• Because they need a large supply of identical cells

• All of the above

What type of cancer killed Henrietta Lacks?

• Colon

• Cervical

• Lung

• Brain

How do HeLa cells keep dividing while other cells die off?

• HeLa ignore signals to stop dividing

• HeLa ignore mutations that accumulate over generations

• C

  HeLa avoids apoptosis

• D

  All of the above

Research with HeLa cells lead to a vaccine for _____, which likely caused Henrietta’s cancer.

• Polio

• HPV

• Mumps

• HIV

A disadvantage of working with HeLa cells in a laboratory is that:

• HeLa cells die off after a few generations

• HeLa cells do not survive well on different surfaces

• HeLa cells spread easily and can infect other cell lines

• HeLa cells are difficult to obtain