Eight years ago, the Human Cell Atlas consortium set out to create a map of the entire human body, consisting of 37.2 trillion cells. Now the scientists have reported that the first draft of the project is close to completion.
The authors of the initiative showed impressive images reflecting the years of hard work and enormous effort invested in creating a literally revolutionary “cell atlas”.
In addition to examining the bones of the skull, the teams are focusing on examining the joints, digestive system, lungs and brain. A team of more than 30 scientists has created a map of bone development describing the unique formation of the skull - without a prior framework.
The main goal is a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of disease development and the effectiveness of therapy, which opens new perspectives in medicine. Thanks to technologies including AI and machine learning, the project has evolved significantly since its inception in 2016.
The initiative represents a significant advance in understanding cellular behavior, explaining why some treatments work and others don't. The project is now helping to develop tailored approaches that take cellular diversity into account. This advance is expected to provide the basis for more effective research and drug development in the future.