One Cell To Every 10 Bacteria!

“The number of bacteria living within the body of the average healthy adult human are estimated to outnumber human cells 10 to 1. Changes in these microbial communities may be responsible for digestive disorders, skin diseases, gum disease and even obesity. Despite their vital imporance in human health and disease, these communities residing within us remain largely unstudied and a concerted research effort needs to be made to better understand them”

Extract above from 108th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology 2008

Most of the cells in our bodies are not our own, nor are they even human. They are bacterial. From the invisible strands of fungi waiting to sprout between our toes, to the kilogram of bacterial matter in our guts, we are best viewed as walking “superorganisms,” highly complex conglomerations of human cells, bacteria, fungi and viruses.More than 500 different species of bacteria exist in our bodies, making up more than 100 trillion cells. Because our bodies are made of only some several trillion human cells, we are somewhat outnumbered by the aliens. It follows that most of the genes in our bodies are from bacteria, too.

So when it comes down to it – who or what are we in reality?  There is even one bacteria actually hosted within our cells and it’s been replicated there for millennia! What is the most intelligent life form? The one with all the pains and pleasures or the one that takes a free ride without worries for ever and ever!?