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Short answer
HeLa cells came from a cervical tumour biopsy taken in 1951 at Johns Hopkins Hospital from Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old woman, without her permission or knowledge. ATCC describes the line as the first immortal human cells grown in culture. This guide covers where the line came from, what its catalogue record documents, how the 2013 NIH agreement with the Lacks family governs genome data, and what the history means for lab practice.
Definition and scope
Two things are easy to separate and often get blurred: the biological material, which a supplier documents and a lab handles, and the history of how it was obtained, which determines how the line is discussed, acknowledged and governed. This page keeps both in view.
HeLa is a human epithelial cell line derived from a cervical adenocarcinoma. Hudson and Collins describe it as the first human cancer-cell line to grow endlessly in culture. The name and the story are tied to one patient, Henrietta Lacks, which is why the line is discussed in research ethics as well as in cell biology. For wider context on the field, see what cell biology covers.
Where HeLa came from
Hudson and Collins, writing in Nature in 2013, record that the biopsy was taken at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore from Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African American woman with aggressive cervical cancer. The sample was taken without her permission or knowledge. They note that US regulations on research consent were still decades away at that time.
ATCC’s catalogue entry for HeLa (CCL-2) gives the same year and tissue: the line was isolated in 1951 from a cervical carcinoma derived from a 31-year-old patient. The entry credits the deposit to W.F. Scherer.
What the HeLa record documents today
For anyone ordering or handling the line, the supplier record is the working definition. The table below lists only what ATCC’s CCL-2 page states (checked 29 October 2026).
| Field | ATCC CCL-2 entry |
|---|---|
| Organism | Homo sapiens, human |
| Cell type and growth | Epithelial, adherent |
| Tissue and disease | Uterus, cervix; adenocarcinoma |
| Viral content | Contains human papillomavirus (HPV); HPV-18 sequences have been reported |
| Karyotype | Modal chromosome number 82; 100% aneuploidy in 1,385 cells examined |
| Biosafety level | Listed as BSL 2 |
ATCC’s page also refers elsewhere to a biosafety level 3 product sheet, so treat the BSL 2 listing as the supplier’s statement and confirm the level with your institution’s biosafety committee. Handling of human-derived cell material is also covered by occupational rules; see the bloodborne pathogens standard for research laboratories.
Consent and the 2013 NIH agreement
The biopsy dates from 1951; in 2013 the NIH and the Lacks family reached an agreement on access to HeLa genome data, described by Hudson and Collins:
- The family unanimously favoured a controlled-access option.
- Researchers apply to NIH for a specific study and agree to the terms of use.
- Applications are reviewed by an NIH working group that includes two members of the Lacks family.
- Data are held in the database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP), and NIH-funded researchers who sequence other HeLa lines are expected to deposit those data there.
- The authors urge researchers to acknowledge Henrietta Lacks and her family in publications that use the line.
Where it matters for labs
A short checklist that follows from the sources above:
- Record provenance. Note the supplier, catalogue number (for example ATCC CCL-2) and passage in your lab records, and consider an RRID for the reagent in publications.
- Confirm biosafety classification. Use the supplier’s listing as a starting point and have your biosafety committee confirm the level for your work.
- Check data governance before sequencing. NIH-funded researchers who sequence other HeLa lines are expected to deposit their data in dbGaP, and access to the HeLa genome data runs through the controlled-access process above.
- Acknowledge the origin. The NIH-Lacks family agreement asks for acknowledgement of Henrietta Lacks and her family.
- Protect your cultures. See the guide to cell culture contamination, which discusses HeLa, and the cell culture basics guide for good practice.
Common misunderstandings
HeLa is not a healthy-tissue line
It derives from a carcinoma, and ATCC lists HPV sequences in the cells. It is an aneuploid cancer line with a modal chromosome number of 82, not a normal diploid reference.
Immortal does not mean unchanged
ATCC calls HeLa the first immortal human cells in culture. That describes continuous growth, not genetic stability; the karyotype entry above shows universal aneuploidy.
Publication of the line did not equal consent
Hudson and Collins state the biospecimen was taken without her permission or knowledge. The 2013 agreement concerns access to HeLa genome data.
FAQ
Where do HeLa cells come from?
ATCC states the line was isolated in 1951 from a cervical carcinoma derived from a 31-year-old patient. Hudson and Collins identify her as Henrietta Lacks, biopsied at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Did Henrietta Lacks consent?
No. Hudson and Collins write that the biospecimen was taken without her permission or knowledge, and that US regulations requiring consent were still decades away.
Why are HeLa cells called immortal?
ATCC describes them as the first immortal human cells to be grown in culture, meaning they keep growing continuously.
Who controls access to HeLa genome data?
Under the 2013 agreement, researchers apply to NIH for a specific study, and a working group that includes two members of the Lacks family reviews applications.
Which ATCC number is HeLa?
CCL-2.
Sources
- ATCC, HeLa (CCL-2) product page, checked 29 October 2026.
- Hudson KL, Collins FS. Family matters. Nature 2013;500(7461):141-142, open version at PubMed Central PMC5101952, checked 29 October 2026.
