REMARKABLE! Human Cell Atlas maps all 37 trillion cells inside body, revolutionises disease research

The human body contains around 36 trillion to 37 trillion cells, and researchers are mapping out where every one of those cells lives.

Scientists with the Human Cell Atlas (HCA), an international research consortium, have revealed that the human body contains an astonishing 36 to 37 trillion cells, each serving unique functions across organs and systems. The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) is mapping every single one of these cells to better understand their roles and relationships, revolutionizing biology, disease research and potential therapies.

Using data from over 10,000 people, HCA aims to complete its first draft by 2026, detailing every cell's role, location, and function. Already, 100 million cells have been analyzed, uncovering new insights like a previously unknown cell type that worsens gut inflammation in diseases like Crohn’s. 

These studies map cells in organs like the lungs, brain, skin, and digestive tract. Researchers have even created a detailed atlas of the digestive system, examining 1.1 million cells from nearly 190 people, including individuals with gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

According to Live Science report, Aviv Regev, a founding co-chair of the HCA, compared the advance to leaps in traditional cartography. Imagine going from having only 15th-century maps of the world to having Google Maps, complete with detailed topographies, street views and dynamic traffic patterns.

"This leap is akin to moving from crude 15th-century maps to Google Maps with detailed topographies and dynamic features," said Aviv Regev.

"So that is the leap that we have done — moving from maps that look as crude as that to maps that are the resolution of the Google Map. But we still have work to do," he added.

According to Interesting Engineering report, this research also enhances lab-grown organoid models for studying diseases and testing treatments.