Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Secret to Immortality
Explain how the human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer. “HPV inserts its DNA into the DNA of the host cell, where it produces proteins that lead to cancer.” p.g.212-213.
Explain Van Valen’s theory that HeLa cells are “no longer human.” Was his theory accepted by the scientific community? “HeLa cells are evolving separately from humans, and having a separate evolution is really what a species is all about.” p.g. 216. His theory was not accepted.
According to Stevenson, why did scientists develop the argument that HeLa cells are no longer human? This was because “it’s easier to do science when you disassociate your materials from the people they came from.” p.g. 216.
Explain the Hayflick limit. It is the specific number of times that a cell can divide.
Why are HeLa cells able to live beyond the Hayflick limit? This was because “telomerase constantly rewound…at the end of Henrietta’s chromosomes so they never grew old and never died.” p.g. 217.