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10 Best Cell Biology Books 2023 | There's One Clear Winner | BestReviews.Guide


Top 11 Cell Biology Textbooks of All Times | Biology Explorer

Top 11 Books For Cell Biology

100 Best Cell Biology Books of All Time (Updated for 2021)

Molecular Biology of the Gene

Biología Molecular del Gen

Essential Cell Biology

Biología Celular Esencial

Molecular & Cell Biology For Dummies

Biología Molecular y Celular Para Dummies

A Molecular Approach

Un Enfoque Molecular

The Cell

La Célula

Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology

Biología Celular y Molecular de Karp

Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Evolution and Ecology

Biología Celular, Genética, Biología Molecular, Evolución y Ecología

Becker's World of the Cell

El Mundo de la Celda de Becker

A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

Un Relato Personal del Descubrimiento de la Estructura del ADN

The Double Helix

La Doble Hélice

In 1951, a woman of African American descent, Henrietta Lacks, found herself diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer. The chief gynecologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, keen on studying this disease, had reached out to George Gey, the leader of tissue culture at the hospital, with a request for both healthy and cancerous cell tissue cultures. As part of this, Henrietta's tissue samples were taken. Henrietta's cancer cells labeled HeLa, surprisingly, survived against all odds in the laboratory. While Henrietta battled her disease and eventually passed away, leaving behind her family, her cells continued to live, unbeknownst to her family. It was only in 1973, when a family friend who happened to be a researcher mentioned his work with HeLa cells, that her family found out that part of Henrietta was still alive.

George Gey's cultivation of HeLa cells paved the way for revolutionary research on diseases and genetics, and the development of new medical treatments and vaccines. Gey generously shared HeLa cell samples with any researcher who needed them. Eventually, for-profit labs began to mass-produce HeLa cells to cater to the research demands. However, due to their rapid growth, HeLa cells could contaminate other cell cultures. This led to geneticists devising ways to identify genetic markers within HeLa cells to distinguish them from the rest. Amidst all this, Henrietta's children were asked for blood samples, without adequate explanation, leading Henrietta's daughter Deborah to believe she was being screened for cancer.

The story of the "immortal" cell culture and the unknown woman behind it started making waves in media, leading to a mix-up with Henrietta's name, which was widely reported as Helen Lane. The truth was eventually uncovered by Michael Rogers, a journalist from Rolling Stone, who contacted the Lacks family. The family was shocked to learn that Henrietta's cells were being profited from by others, which sparked memories of unethical practices by white doctors on black patients. The family continued to be approached by journalists, which included a BBC documentary team in 1996, and had an unfortunate encounter with a conman posing as a lawyer. Henrietta's daughter Deborah hoped that the documentary would shed light on her mother's story and also help her understand her mother better. The family's journey took many more twists and turns, culminating in a visit to the lab at Johns Hopkins where Henrietta's cells were kept, and the shocking revelation about the abuse suffered by Henrietta's other daughter, Elsie, at a mental institution. Despite the emotional toll, Deborah remained determined to learn and understand more about her mother's life and her contribution to science.


The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

La Vida Inmortal de Henrietta Lacks

How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance

Cómo la Biología Moderna está Reescribiendo Nuestra Comprensión de la Genética, la Enfermedad y la Herencia

The Epigenetics Revolution

La Revolución Epigenética

Principles of Cell Biology

Principios de Biología Celular

Molecular Cell Biology

Biología Molecular de la Célula

The Key to Understanding Disease, Chronic Illness, Aging, and Life Itself

La clave para entender la Enfermedad, la Enfermedad Crónica, el Envejecimiento y la Vida misma

15 Best Cell Biology Books of All Time

Molecular Biology of the Gene

Essential Cell Biology

Molecular & Cell Biology For Dummies

The Cell

A Molecular Approach

Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology

Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Evolution and Ecology

Becker's World of the Cell

The Double Helix

A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Epigenetics Revolution

How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance

Principles of Cell Biology

Molecular Cell Biology

Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine

The Key to Understanding Disease, Chronic Illness, Aging, and Life Itself

Histology and Cell Biology

An Introduction to Pathology

BRS Cell Biology and Histology

Board Review Series

Sources

What To Read Next

15 Best Cell Biology Books of All Time

Molecular Biology of the Gene

Essential Cell Biology

Molecular & Cell Biology For Dummies

The Cell

A Molecular Approach

Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology

Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Evolution and Ecology

Becker's World of the Cell

The Double Helix

A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Epigenetics Revolution

How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance

Principles of Cell Biology

Molecular Cell Biology

Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine

The Key to Understanding Disease, Chronic Illness, Aging, and Life Itself

Histology and Cell Biology

An Introduction to Pathology

BRS Cell Biology and Histology

Board Review Series

Sources

What To Read Next

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