The HeLa cell line was initiated in the early 1950s from a tissue sample excised from the adenocarcinoma of the cervix. HeLa cells revolutionized the field of cell biology by becoming the first human cells able to survive indefinitely in culture.

The HeLa cervical adenocarcinoma cell line tests positive for the intermediate filament protein, keratin, and for lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC), which induces AP-1 activity and c-jun N-terminal kinase activity (JNK1) via a protein kinase C-independent pathway. The cells also contain human papilloma virus 18 (HPV-18) sequences.

HeLa cells played a key role in the development and testing of the polio vaccine and have more recently been utilized in such diverse applications as leukemia and cancer research, investigations of genetic control mechanisms, and experimental studies focusing on the cellular effects of radiation. HeLa cells are notoriously easy to grow and reproduce an entire generation about once every day. The virulence of epithelial cells can, however, be problematic at times. The results of numerous scientific studies became questionable when it was discovered in the 1970s that HeLa cells had been invading cultures of other cell lines utilized in laboratories around the world.

A log phase culture of HeLa cells was transfected with three chimeric plasmid subcellular localization vectors (DsRed2-Mitochondria, ECFP-Golgi Complex, and EYFP-Nucleus), thus localizing a red protein tag to the intracellular mitochondrial network, a cyan tag to Golgi bodies, and a yellow tag to cell nuclei. Images were recorded in grayscale with a 12-bit digital camera coupled to either a Nikon E-600 or Eclipse 80i microscope equipped with bandpass emission fluorescence filter optical blocks. During the processing stage, individual image channels were pseudocolored with RGB values corresponding to each of the fluorophore emission spectral profiles.

Subcellular Localization of Tubulin, Mitochondria, and the Nucleus in HeLa Cell Cultures - The HeLa cell culture illustrated in this section was transfected with a chimeric ECFP (enhanced cyan fluorescent protein) plasmid vector that expresses a fluorescent fusion protein targeted at mitochondria and an EYFP (enhanced yellow fluorescent protein) plasmid vector that expresses a protein targeted at tubulin. The cells were also transfected with a recombinant plasmid vector containing a chimeric fusion gene product of DsRed2 fluorescent protein and a nucleus targeting sequence.

Human Carcinoma Cells with DsRed2, ECFP, and EYFP Fluorescent Proteins - An adherent, monolayer culture of human cervical adenocarcinoma cells was transfected with a triplet of chimeric plasmid subcellular localization vectors. DsRed2, ECFP, and EYFP plasmid vectors were utilized to localize the nucleus, mitochondria, and actin, respectively.

Transfected HeLa Cells with Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein Localized to Peroxisomes - The featured HeLa cell culture was transfected with an EGFP-peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (PTS1) fusion protein and stained with MitoTracker Red CMXRos. These fluorescent probes target peroxisomes and mitochondria, respectively. In addition, the specimen was simultaneously stained with Hoechst 33342.

Targeting Nuclei, Mitochondria, and Microtubules in Carcinoma Cell Cultures with Multiple Localization Vectors - Transient transfection of a log phase culture of HeLa cells with multiple chimeric plasmid subcellular localization vectors (DsRed2-Nucleus, ECFP-Mitochondria, and EYFP-Tubulin) enabled the localization of a red protein tag to the cell nuclei, a cyan tag to the intracellular network of mitochondria, and a yellow tag to microtubules.

HeLa Cells Labeled for Tubulin with Immunofluorescence - The human cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) appearing in this section were resident in a culture immunofluorescently labeled with anti-tubulin mouse monoclonal primary antibodies followed by goat anti-mouse secondary antibody fragments conjugated to Alexa Fluor 568. The culture was counterstained with TO-PRO-3, targeting the nucleus.

Localizing Subcellular Organelles in HeLa Cells with a Triplet of Fluorescent Proteins - Nuclei and the intracellular mitochondria and microtubule networks were localized in the featured HeLa carcinoma cell culture, which was transiently transfected with a chimeric ECFP plasmid vector that expresses a fluorescent fusion protein targeted at mitochondria and an EYFP plasmid vector that expresses a protein targeted at tubulin.

Transfected Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells with DsRed2, ECFP, and EYFP - A culture of HeLa cervical carcinoma cells was simultaneously transfected with three chimeric plasmid subcellular localization vectors. DsRed2, ECFP, and EYFP plasmid vectors were utilized to localize the nucleus, mitochondria, and actin, respectively.

Probing the Golgi Apparatus and Nucleosomes with Immunofluorescence in Adherent HeLa Cell Cultures - The human cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) appearing in this section were resident in a culture immunofluorescently labeled with rabbit anti-giantin primary antibodies (targeting the Golgi complex) followed by goat anti-rabbit secondary antibody fragments conjugated to Alexa Fluor 568. In addition, cell nuclei were counterstained with Hoechst 33358 and nucleoli were targeted with mouse anti-fibrillarin antibodies visualized with a secondary antibody conjugated to Alexa Fluor 488.

Immunofluorescence of Microtubules in HeLa Cells - The HeLa cells featured in this section were resident in a culture immunofluorescently labeled with anti-tubulin mouse monoclonal primary antibodies followed by goat anti-mouse secondary antibody fragments conjugated to Alexa Fluor 568. The culture was counterstained with TO-PRO-3, targeting the nucleus.