Until recently it was thought that for each human cell of our own in our body there were a dozen microscopic creatures; mainly bacteria, but also yeasts, fungi, protoozoa and viruses.
However, a more precise calculation done at the Weizmann Institute in Israel indicates that the two sides are much more evenly matched. Of all the cellular heritage that makes up us, 40% is our own and around 60% is made up of unicellular entities with their own DNA , the Israeli scientists clarified in PLOS Biology .
We are more bacterial than human
Specifically, the census is made up of about 30 billion human cells and 39 billion microorganisms, especially bacteria that colonize the colon, in the large intestine. A 1.3 to 1 ratio: we are more bacterial than human, yes, but just barely.
Those 30 billion biological bricks of their own would add up to around 47 kilos, for a person weighing 70 kilos. The largest and heaviest cells are muscle cells and adipocytes, which contain fat. Although both are in the minority in number – 0.2% -, they account for 75% of the mass of an individual.
