Question

How is Henrietta Lacks' mutation different from other cases of cancer inheritance?

A) Her mutation is not hereditary
B) Her children did inherit her mutation for "immortal cells"
C) Her mutation is caused by environmental factors
D) Her children carry a different type of mutation

Answer 1

Henrietta Lacks' mutation that led to the HeLa cell line is not hereditary; her children did not inherit the specific mutation that causes her cells to be 'immortal'.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mutation of Henrietta Lacks' cells that led to the creation of the HeLa cell line is different from other cases of cancer inheritance primarily because Her mutation is not hereditary (A). The changes in her cells were due to a somatic mutation caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which transformed the cells into having the ability to divide indefinitely. These 'immortal cells' are a characteristic of the cells in the tumor from Henrietta Lacks, but they do not get passed down from parent to child like genetic mutations associated with hereditary cancers. Therefore, her children did not inherit her mutation for 'immortal cells' (B), and any mutation they may have is not related to the unique properties of the HeLa cells.