Researchers have created an early version of a map of some of the human body’s cells.
The human body has an estimated 37.2 trillion cells. Each type of cell has a unique job. Knowing each cell’s job can help scientists better understand health and diseases such as cancer.
The work is part of the Human Cell Atlas project. The effort began in 2016. It involves researchers around the world. The group, called a consortium, plans to release a more complete atlas in 2026 by mapping cells from 18 organs and body systems. These include the skin, heart, and breasts.
Some of the researchers published their findings on bone development in embryos. The study appeared in Nature on November 20.
Aviv Regev is a founding co-chair of the project. Regev is currently executive vice president and head of research and early development at U.S. biotech company Genentech. She said the work is important in two ways.
First, the project relates to curiosity. Humans have long wanted to know what they are made of. “And, in fact, biologists have been mapping cells since the 1600s for that reason," Regev added.
Second, Regev said knowing how cells work is critical for understanding how to treat disease.
"Cells are the basic unit of life, and when things go wrong, they go wrong with our cells, first and foremost," she added.
"Fundamentally, these studies tell us how tissues, organs and humans are built," said Muzlifah Haniffa of Wellcome Sanger Institute and Newcastle University in Britain. Haniffa was a member of the project's organizing committee.
What is the Human Cell Atlas?
Scientists are focusing on certain organs. They are mapping the jobs of cells in the mouth, stomach and intestines. They are researching cells that guide how bones and joints develop. They also are exploring which cells group into tissue, where they are found in the body and how they change over time.
The high-resolution, open-access atlas is considered a first version. The scientists say they hope it will help researchers fight diseases that damage human cells.
The current cell map not only shows many types of human cells. It also shows the relationships between cells, said Dr. Timothy Chan. Chan is a cancer expert at the Cleveland Clinic who was not involved in the project. Chan said the atlas project is a “deep dive into human biology” that is sure to help identify and treat cancer cells.
Scientists are also creating other atlases that could show more about the foundations of health and disease in specific parts of the body.
For example, researchers working on a brain atlas are seeking to understand the structure, location and function of the many types of brain cells. A new gut microbiome atlas is meant to show the collection of microorganisms in the intestines. Those organs play important parts in digestion and immune system health.
I’m Anna Matteo.
