HeLa cells were originally derived from a highly aggressive cervical cancer cell in the early 1950s. As the first immortal human cell line cultured, HeLa cells are now one of the most popular cell lines used by researchers around the world. HeLa cells can easily propagate many generations in culture and if HeLa cells contaminate other cells, they can quickly outgrow the original cells. As a result, HeLa cell contamination has become a significant issue for the scientific community. Due to the high potential for HeLa cell contamination in cell lines, a routine assessment is recommended.