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[00:00.04]Researchers have created an early version

[00:04.16]of a map of some of the human body's cells.

[00:09.48]The human body has an estimated

[00:12.12]37.2 trillion cells.

[00:17.08]Each type of cell has a unique job.

[00:21.80]Knowing each cell's job can help scientists

[00:25.32]better understand health

[00:27.68]and diseases such as cancer.

[00:31.84]The work is part of the Human Cell Atlas project.

[00:37.56]The effort began in 2016.

[00:40.64]It involves researchers around the world.

[00:45.20]The group, called a consortium,

[00:48.48]plans to release a more complete atlas

[00:51.76]in 2026 by mapping cells

[00:55.52]from 18 organs and body systems.

[00:59.60]These include the skin, heart, and breasts.

[01:05.76]Some of the researchers published their findings

[01:09.12]on bone development in embryos.

[01:12.32]The study appeared in Nature

[01:15.28]on November 20.

[01:18.44]Aviv Regev is a founding co-chair of the project.

[01:24.56]Regev is currently executive vice president

[01:28.00]and head of research and early development

[01:32.04]at U.S. biotech company Genentech.

[01:36.44]She said the work is important in two ways.

[01:41.60]First, the project relates to curiosity.

[01:46.20]Humans have long wanted to know

[01:48.64]what they are made of.

[01:50.48]"And, in fact, biologists

[01:53.28]have been mapping cells

[01:55.24]since the 1600s

[01:57.24]for that reason," Regev added.

[02:01.32]Second, Regev said knowing how cells work

[02:05.56]is critical for understanding

[02:08.20]how to treat disease.

[02:11.28]"Cells are the basic unit of life,

[02:14.32]and when things go wrong,

[02:16.52]they go wrong with our cells,

[02:18.68]first and foremost," she added.

[02:23.40]"Fundamentally,

[02:24.72]these studies tell us how tissues,

[02:27.36]organs and humans are built,"

[02:30.72]said Muzlifah Haniffa

[02:33.32]of Wellcome Sanger Institute

[02:35.64]and Newcastle University in Britain.

[02:40.44]Haniffa was a member of the project's

[02:43.08]organizing committee.

[02:46.88]Scientists are focusing on certain organs.

[02:50.88]They are mapping the jobs of cells

[02:53.80]in the mouth, stomach and intestines.

[02:58.04]They are researching cells that guide

[03:01.48]how bones and joints develop.

[03:05.52]They also are exploring which cells

[03:08.92]group into tissue,

[03:11.20]where they are found in the body

[03:13.52]and how they change over time.

[03:17.72]The high-resolution,

[03:19.44]open-access atlas

[03:21.76]is considered a first version.

[03:25.52]The scientists say

[03:27.44]they hope it will help researchers

[03:30.00]fight diseases that damage human cells.

[03:34.80]The current cell map not only shows

[03:37.48]many types of human cells.

[03:39.84]It also shows the relationships

[03:42.44]between cells, said Dr. Timothy Chan.

[03:47.32]Chan is a cancer expert

[03:49.72]at the Cleveland Clinic

[03:51.44]who was not involved in the project.

[03:54.48]Chan said the atlas project

[03:57.00]is a "deep dive into human biology"

[04:01.04]that is sure to help identify

[04:04.12]and treat cancer cells.

[04:07.72]Scientists are also creating other atlases

[04:12.04]that could show more about

[04:14.12]the foundations of health and disease

[04:17.28]in specific parts of the body.

[04:21.12]For example, researchers working on a brain atlas

[04:25.84]are seeking to understand the structure,

[04:28.96]location and function of the many types of brain cells.

[04:35.32]A new gut microbiome atlas

[04:38.32]is meant to show the collection

[04:40.76]of microorganisms in the intestines.

[04:45.32]Those organs play important parts

[04:48.04]in digestion and immune system health.

[04:52.20]I'm Anna Matteo.

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Words in This Story

type –n. a particular kind of thing that is like others in the same group

unique –adj. something that is unlike anything else

atlas –n. a detailed map of a place or a thing that include picture or images

curiosity –n. the condition of being interested in something and wanting to learn more about it

biologist –n. a scientist who studies the processes of life and the living structures involved in it

focus –v. to place special attention on something or someone

high-resolution –adj. usually related to a kind of image that is very rich or high in detail showing very small or complex things clearly

open-access –adj. available to anyone and not requiring payment

deep dive –n. a complete investigation into something

location –n. the place where something is

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