HeLa cells are indeed a cell line developed in the late 40's from Henrietta
Lacks.
But a human diploid cell line has the normal number of chromosomes. We all
have two copies of autosomal chromosomes, hence the term diploid. Females
are diploid for the X chromosome, though one copy is inactivated, so females
are functionally haploid for the X-chromosome. Males are haploid for the X
and for the Y chromosome. A running gag of mine is that the (dominant) genes
1) for not asking directions, 2) an overwhelming urge to take everything
apart and 3) the ability to identify aircraft are located on the Y
chromosome.;-) A cell with twice the no. of chromosomes would be tetraploid,
which would not be unusual in cancer cells, as a hallmark of cancer cells is
a complete disruption and often, rearrangement of chromosomes, both in
number and with respect to translocations.
-Stephen.
> > Greg,
> > Most likely HeLa cell line. Commonly used to culture viruses.
> > Derived from a cervical carcinoma from a patient named Henrietta Lacks
> > hence
> > "HeLa". Used to use these when I worked in a Biochemistry lab in my
> > pre-OM
> > days.
> >
> > Charlie
> >
> > ...The current vaccine is grown on a human diploid cell line in
> > culture (the
> >
> > culture of substrate cells has twice the normal number of human
> > chromosomes,
> >
> > harvested from a lady's tumor many years ago, forgot what the type
> > was)...
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