HeLa cells. Immunofluorescent light micrograph of a culture of HeLa cancer cells. HeLa cells are green with some dividing at right; cell nuclei are blue; human fibroblasts stain red. HeLa cells are the first human cell line established in 1952 to research cancer. They were obtained from the cervix of Henrietta Lacks (after whom the cells are named) from Baltimore, USA, in 1951, who died of cervical cancer eight months later. HeLa cells thrive unusually well in the laboratory and are used in research worldwide. Immunofluorescence relies on antibodies to attach fluorescent dyes to the cell. Magnification: x250 at 5x7cm size. Magnification: x125 at 35mm size.