| Comments |
Abstract: "[Investigators'] analysis also updates the widely-cited 10:1 ratio, showing that the number of bacteria in the body [BNID 113000] is actually of the same order as the number of human cells [BNID 102391 Comments section], and their total mass is about 0.2 kg." P.3 bottom paragraph: "What is the total mass of bacteria in the body? From the total colon content of about 0.4 kg and a bacteria mass fraction of about one-half [refs 21,24], [investigators] get a contribution of about 0.2 kg (wet weight) from bacteria to the overall mass of the colon content. Given the dominance of bacteria in the colon over all other microbiota populations in the body, [they] conclude that there is about 0.2 kg of bacteria in the body overall. Given the water content of bacteria, the total dry weight of bacteria in the body is about 50–100g...The total bacteria mass [they] find represents about 0.3% of the overall body weight, significantly updating previous statements that 1%–3% of the body mass is composed of bacteria or that a normal human hosts 1–3 kg of bacteria [NIH. NIH Human Microbiome Project defines normal bacterial makeup of the body. Natl Institutes Heal 2012. (accessed January 3, 2015). link 5th paragraph from top]." |