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Name: Monica
Status: Student
Age: 18
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2002
Question:
How many cells (approximately) are in the human body? Includes ALL cells-bone, blood, etc.! Is there a way to calculate this??


Replies:
I have heard estimates in the trillions. That's probably the best you can do, there is no way to count. vanhoeck ========================================================= For a 70 kg human I have calculated it a number of times and it is quite difficult since cell density is highly variable for each tissue. Certain tissues are easier to compute...eg. red blood cells at 5 million per cc and our blood is about 7% of our body weight with about 45 % of that being cells and >99% of that being rbc's. Other tissue are for more sketchy. I usually get somewhere around 2-5 trillion in most computations. I know of no sure way or formula for it...but would not be surprised if there was one...not that I would trust it....sorry I could not help more.

Peter Faletra Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Science Education
Office of Science
Department of Energy


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