In a research article, it is said that during 2014, Dr. Arulanandam, a cellular immunologist, researched the mechanisms by which Chlamydia trachomatis causes disease in humans. Chlamydia trachomatis is regarded as the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial disease worldwide. If the infection continues to go untreated, it can possibly lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which poses as a threat to human reproduction and causes inflammation and scarring in the fallopian tubes, leading to the increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and infertility.
It is affirmed that each year in the United States, approximately 750,000 women experience an episode of acute pelvic inflammatory disease. The article said, "Up to 15% of these women may become infertile as a result of this disease" [1]. Interactions of Chlamydia trachomatis with major components, especially immune effectors, provides critical information for the development of significant vaccine research.
Here is picture of the infection on HeLa Cells:
The reason that this type of research is able to be done on HeLa cells is because although HeLa cells are cancerous and are "immortal" unlike many other cells because they continuously replicate, they still share similar characteristics as other cells. To further explain, just like regular cells, they produce proteins, express and regulate genes, communicate with one another, and are susceptible to infections. These characteristics make them very useful for testing diseases and developing vaccines for the diseases, like with what Dr. Arulanandam focused on with Chlamydia trachomatis.
Citation:
1. "South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID)." STCEID. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015.
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